Love and Death
by Uchiha Miharuchan
Summary: At twenty and as shinobis, all ninja come together for a final mission. A new team of shinobis, Sasuke, Neji, and a girl by the name of Miharu, are the only ones able to defeat Orochimaru.Will relationships begin to get in the way of training? COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1 First Argument

Love and Death Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Naruto characters. (Too  
bad, huh? Wouldn't life be perfect?)  
  
A/N: Third fic. I have a feeling this is going to be a really good one. I'm actually excited about writing this one. Anyway, just to let you all know, if you haven't already figured out from the name likeness, Miharu and me are the same people. Our personalities are totally different, but I'm her. Anyway, this one is probably guna be pretty long...oh well, the more the merrier. Welcome to the best fic I'm probably guna ever write * I hope * (P.S-their all qualified shinobis now, at the age of 20, except people like neji and tenten and lee. Their all 21).  
  
Chapter 1-  
  
First Arguement  
  
The scenery was calm. A soft breeze played songs in the air. Branches of the trees danced merrily to its tune. The sun shone hotly in the midday sky, hanging high above trees and birds alike. On the dirt pathway wound through the perfect scenery, three people walked, clouds rising up at their heels. Purposefully they continued through the forest, heads held high and eyes set. Their mission was clear.  
  
"Sasuke, tell me, how much farther is it?" The tall dark girl looked sharply to her left. Her hair reached down to her knees, tied neatly at the end by a ribbon, two curls tossed carelessly over her shoulders. Her outfit was fairly simple. She wore a blue tank top, which was, on the left side, tied into a knot. A light blue skirt, much like that of a schoolgirl, completed the outfit. In the distance between where her shirt ended and skirt began, she had tied her hitai-ate. Her left arm and leg were bandaged thoroughly, and tied tightly. Attached to her right leg, just above the knee, was a case containing both her kunais and shurikens. On her right arm was a scar which ran from her elbow to her hand. Her cold gray eyes stared straight at her partner.  
  
The young man to whom she was addressing stared straight ahead while answering. "It's not very far. Be patient. A few more hours and we should be there." His black hair was held back by his hitai-ate. He wore a blue sweater, which was zippered halfway, so that part of his white shirt showed from underneath. He wore white shorts which reached far down, past his kneed. Tied onto the right leg of his shorts was the case containing his kunais and shurikens, and his right arm was bandaged. His focussed black eyes stared ahead.  
  
Another young man on the girl's right side 'humphed' softly. His blank eyes looked at the girl. "Miharu, shut up." His dark hair reached halfway down his shoulders, and tied at the end very much like Miharu's was. He wore a tight black shirt, and long white shorts, reaching past his knees. His hitai-ate, which was once tied around his forehead, now had a place on his left arm. His kunai and shuriken pouch was tied around his right leg.  
  
Miharu swallowed her fury. Sidling over to her right, she whispered in the most deadly voice she could muster, "Who the hell did you just tell to shut up?"  
  
"You."  
  
"You little jackass! Who the hell do you think you are? Argh, now you've gotten me pissed! You're so lucky that you're on my team! I'd beat the crap outta you otherwise!" She screamed at him, hands balled into fists which were shaking with fury at her side.  
  
"You're shaking fists at me. Do you wish to fight?" He grinned malevolently at her, continuing ahead.  
  
"You want to fight? Fine! I'll fight! I'll kick you're little ass right to hell! It's where you belong! C'mon, let's fight!" walking slightly faster she moved in front of him and turned, blocking his path. "I'm ready! Let's go!"  
  
"Both of you, shut up." Came the cold voice of their third.  
  
Miharu swung around, one kunai point touching her partner's nose, the other pointed straight at Sasuke. "Now YOU want some of this?" She screamed.  
  
"We've got company..." he said, irritably.  
  
"Oh."  
  
Neji removed the kunai from the tip of his nose with a simple flick of his hand. Pushing Miharu out of the way, he tensed. "Get ready."  
  
End of Chapter 1!  
  
A/N: So, how did you like my first ever Naruto fic? I have no idea how this one is going to end...I don't even know what the point is right now...Miharu seems a little bit outspoken, doesn't she? Oh well...anyway, I'm going to do chapter 2 right now and then put it up, so I can work on chapter 3 tomorrow. Hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Now on to the second! Oh, just as an afterthought, I DO plan on having fighting scenes in my story. 


	2. Chapter 2 The First Battle

Love and Death Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Naruto Characters.  
  
A/N: For this I had to do a bit of researching. I'm not that big of an expert on all of their techniques, so I had to research while I wrote. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the first fight scene of my fanfic...I took a while to write...I was supposed to have it up by yesterday, demo ga...gomen ne! Anyway, read up, and please remember to review!  
  
Chapter 2-  
  
The First Battle  
  
"Get ready."  
  
Both Sasuke and Miharu tensed at his words. All three drew out their kunais. "Neji..." began Miharu. She didn't have to continue. Neji knew what she was thinking.  
  
"Got it. BYAKUGAN!" Grotesque veins appeared on Neji's face. He strained his eyes, looking all around. "There" He pointed to the bushes slightly up ahead, "There," He pointed to a partially hidden tree on their right, "and there." Last of all, he pointed behind them.  
  
"Shit, so we're surrounded, huh?" asked Sasuke. "Too bad. Looks like they have to get hurt after all...I was hoping for something of a peaceful sort. I don't feel like bloodshed today..."  
  
Miharu stared at her partner in disbelief. "YOU don't feel like bloodshed? That's one I've never heard before." She laughed. "For battle strategy, each person should take the one closest to them. What do you think about that?"  
  
"Good idea." Neji said. "Now..." He turned quickly and sped to the back of the group. "I...see...you..." *  
  
Miharu headed straight, to the bushes that blocked their path. "That's got to be the stupidest disguise I've ever seen. Come out on you own, or I'll have to force you out!!!" When no one emerged from the bush, she stopped. "Fine, be that way." Furiously her hands worked, creating a seal. "Katon Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" she screamed. *  
Sasuke, of course, changed directions and ran to his right. Quickly gathering his chakra in the soles of his feet, he began to climb the tree. He sighed impatiently. Running a full circle while still standing on the base of the tree, he threw one kunai into the space above him with every step he took, so that they could penetrate the leaves that were blocking his view and hit any hidden enemies.  
  
**Neji's Fight**  
  
Still using byakugan, Neji charged at his opponent, who had finally decided to reveal himself. He wore a plain black shirt and green army pants. His hitai-ate was tied around his neck. "So your from the Sound, huh?" Neji muttered to himself. "I can deal with you..."  
  
Bringing his hand up quickly, he opened it so that his palm was facing outwards. Speeding up, he muttered "Houshou!" (Crushing Palm). His opponent dodged to the side, only too late. Neji's open palm had grazed his shoulder.  
  
"Shit!" He moaned. 'If this is how much it hurts with him hardly touching me...then I had better not let him hit me full on!' he thought to himself. Straining to lift his left hand, the one which Neji had hit, he preformed a seal, although slower than it would have been had he had the full use of his arm. As he finished, he yelled out, "Doton Doryou Dango!" (Earth Element Mud Cannonball).  
  
Neji's face widened with shock as he looked onward, only to see a gigantic piece of earth headed straight for him. "What the hell?" He muttered. He stopped abruptly and sped to the right, away from the attack. Looking behind him he saw that the Sound ninja was tracking his every move. He jumped onto a nearby tree and, gathering chakra in the balls of his feet, climbed to the top. He jumped from tree to tree, staying near the top the whole time.  
  
When he was certain that the Sound had no idea where he was, he stopped. Calling down, he said, "So you can use earth attacks also? Aren't you Sound supposed to be all about manipulation air and sound itself?" His statement was followed by a short 'humph!'  
  
Looking around nervously, the Sound ninja answered. "Heh. It depends on how advanced you are. I'm one of the top ranking ninja's of my village! I'm capable of using a wide variety of attacks!" As a last resort, he grabbed a kunai from his pouch and held it at the ready.  
  
Quicker than the naked eye could see, Neji was upon him. He muttered softly, "Jyuuken!" (Gentle Fist) and touched the chakra holes on his opponents arms and legs, less than a second passing. As he watched his opponent drop to the floor, as good as dead, he spat in disgust. "If this is as good as your village gets, then what are the rest of you like?" He walked away, leaving the Sound ninja shuddering and jerking violently, to die.  
  
**End Neji's fight**  
  
At the same time as Neji's fight, Miharu's fight had commenced. **Miharu's fight**  
  
"Katon Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" She screamed, her hands working furiously. (Fire Element: Grand Fireball Skill). A large burst of flame escaped from her mouth and attacked the bush. Catching fire, it began to smoke. A slight coughing could be heard, but the figure refused to be moved. Miharu suspected that the enemy might have just backed away from the bush. "Fine!" she pouted. "Make it difficult!"  
  
Grabbing shurikens in her right hand, and kunais in her left, she threw them simultaneously at the bush, forcing her opponent out from behind the burning bush. Landing in front of Miharu, she grinned. "What a smart way to get me where you want me...kid."  
  
"WHAT? KID? I'm not a kid, you asshole! I'm an ADULT! A-D-U-L-T!" Miharu screamed, pointing at her opponent with shaking hands.  
  
"Heh. So what do you suppose you're acting like now? Huh, kid?" Miharu glared once more at the blonde girl. Her hair was in those Chinese- style buns atop her head, like the ones Miharu had only seen once before. She wore a dark blue vest over a white T-shirt, and had on the same army pants as her partners, the only difference being that they were blue and white, not green and gray.  
  
"Shut...up." Miharu breathed through gritted teeth. "Enough. Let's get on with this." She advanced slowly, in a crouch, towards her opponent, who, from the look of her hitai-ate (which was tied around her forehead), was one of the powerful Sound ninja.  
  
"That's fine with me." Her opponent replied. All of a sudden, a strong blast of air hit Miharu, pushing her back. "How do you like my Zankuuha?"(Air Slicing Blast)  
  
"Not very much..." Came Miharu's reply, from somewhere up above. The Sound ninja looked at what her windblast had hit, and gasped in surprise. "Kawarimi no Jutsu? She used that and I didn't realize? But then..." She looked around her nervously..."where is she?"  
  
"Don't worry too much." Came Miharu's voice. All of a sudden, ten kunais flew towards her opponent. "I'm right here!" Flipping backward twice, the ninja had managed to dodge all but two of Miharu's kunais. Blood spurted out of the wound on her cheek and arm.  
  
"Shit....this isn't good at all..." she muttered to herself. "Time to change to a different tactic. "Swinging to the direction of where the trees rustled the most, she threw a handful of senbon with bells attached. Grinning as she heard a low murmur of "Shit!" she pulled the nearly invisible string held in her hand, hearing the ringing sounds the bells which the string was attached to were making. As Miharu fell out of the tree, hitting the ground with a thud, the Sound ninja laughed softly. "Guess you're just a kid after all!"  
  
She gasped suddenly as a figure grabbed her from behind. "Guess again!" Came Miharu's voice in her ear.  
  
"How did you?" The Sound ninja breathed softly. Miharu chuckled in her ear, pissing her off.  
  
"Bunshin no Jutsu. I had a feeling you were going to try something like that. You are a SOUND ninja after all. All I had to do was create a clone of myself, and use it as a distraction, while I sneaked around behind you. It was quite simple, really." Miharu concluded with a small laugh.  
  
The sound ninja looked at the evaporating clone in horror. "No..." she gasped.  
  
"Yes." Miharu replied. "Your time has come to an end. Now I'll finish this. A move I like to show off...one that only the ANBU and one other know of...you don't count, since you're about to die anyway." Still keeping the ninja entangled in her arms, Miharu freed her hands and began the seal furiously. "Kanashibari no Jutsu!" (Body Bind Skill) she yelled. She let go of the Sound ninja, and watched her drop to the ground, bound together, unable to move. Stepping back, her hands worked once more to form the finishing seal. "Katon Housenka no Jutsu!" (Fire Element: Mythical Fire Flower Skill).  
  
Bursts of fire flew towards the Sound, now immobile, shurikens hidden within their depth. The ninja screamed in pain as each blast of fire, each shuriken, pierced her flesh. "Warui..." she began... "demo ga..." without finishing she left her opponent to die.  
  
**End of Miharu's fight**  
  
At the same time as these two fights, Sasuke's fight had commenced.  
  
**Sasuke's fight**  
  
After each kunai had pierced a notable hole through each bushel on the tree, Sasuke's opponent had given up on his hiding. Landing squarely on the rough dirt road below, he cocked his head upward to glare at Sasuke, who was now facing downward, slowly walking down the tree.  
  
Jumping from four feet, Sasuke, too, landed squarely on the ground in front of his opponent. Glaring at each other with murderous intention, they circled one another slowly. As his eyes became red, the trademark colour of his sharingan (Copy Wheel)Sasuke sized his opponent up. About the same height and weight as he, the young man wore a black sleeveless shirt, completed by black pants, the same as his partners. The symbol on his hitai-ate, which was tied loosely around his waist, was that of the Sound. "As I suspected." Sasuke finished his thoughts aloud.  
  
The Sound ninja across from him obviously did not feel like chatting. His hands quickly preformed the seal necessary for his ninjutsu. "Kokuangyo no Jutsu!" (Black Cloak of Darkness Skill). He said, as a thick black fog cloaked Sasuke. Quickly he backed away from the fog, to ensure that it did not ensnare him also.  
  
Sasuke was not bothered in the least by his attack. From a Sound ninja, he expected no less. However, he didn't want this fight to drag out. They were on a mission, and these interruptions were troublesome. As he thought this he grinned at the usage of his old friend's words. It seemed memories would still remain strong, after all this time.  
  
Doing the required seals, he called out "Katon Ryuuka no Jutsu!" softly, then blew from his mouth a steady stream of fire to light the area around him. It worked. Very faintly he could see the outline of the Sound ninja. Cutting off the fire abruptly, he charged straight at his opponent. 'No time for bullshitting.' He thought as he charged. 'I'm serious.'  
  
Once more he preformed the hand seals (of a different ninjutsu) as he charged at his opponent. Time for that one...the one that needed all the quickness he was capable of. Time for... "Chidori!" (Thousand Birds). As he ran toward the Sound, the chakra in his hand became larger and larger and larger. In less than two seconds, he was nearly face to face with his opponent. He grinned. "Enjoy." He whispered, as he whipped the chakra at his opponent.  
  
"Doton Doryou Heki!" His opponent cried out. His counter was ineffective. Because of the speed Sasuke had been moving at, along with the large amount of chakra he had gathered, and his ability was practically undefeatable. As soon as the ball of chakra hit him, the Sound ninja died. Sasuke knew and looked away. "So much for no bloodshed." He muttered as he walked away.  
  
**End of Sasuke's fight**  
  
As the three Jounins came together in the center of the forest, they each nodded once, to signify that their charge had been taken care of. Neji looked over at the bodies. "The Hunter Nins will be by here shortly. There's no need to bother with these." He began walking.  
  
Miharu and Sasuke followed. "Only a few more hours until we reach our destination." Sasuke stated, rather obviously.  
  
Miharu nodded enthusiastically. Running ahead of the group, she turned and barred their path. "I can't wait!" She cheered, jumping. "Let's go!"  
  
End of Chapter 2!  
  
A/N: So??? How was it?? That was the first ever fight scene written by me. I had always wanted to see how I would fare at this. I hope I did well. Please review with suggestions or anything else that could help, or that you wish to put. I really want to improve whatever I can. I hope the characters **at least, Neji and Sasuke** weren't OOC in the fic. I tried to make them as normal as they could be, eight years later and all. Anyway, I really hope you enjoyed it. The next chapter should be up tomorrow. A really big surprise is in store for you guys! Ja! 


	3. Chapter 3 Memories and a BIG Surprise

Love and Death Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Naruto Characters.  
  
A/N: Hey everyone! This is the third chapter...obviously...anyway, I just would like to say thanks to everyone that reviewed my fic. I will try and take all your advice and put it to use in my story. Anyway, I was planning to do something with this chapter, but I think I'll change my idea. I have something really unsuspected planned for you guyz! Enjoy chap. 3!  
  
Chapter 3-  
  
Memories and a BIG Surprise  
  
"Oh my god! They're back!"  
  
"I can't believe it! Eight long years!"  
  
Voices such as these reached the ears of the three approaching Jounins (although some considered them Sennins) as they walked through the gates leading into the Konoha Village. Many people stopped and stared as they made their way purposefully through their old home.  
  
Sasuke grinned slightly, for none needed to know of his joy. Although he had led his life as a genin making others believe that he didn't care, once he had left with Miharu and Neji, the way he had missed the others was incredible. It was almost impossible for him to believe. It was as if two sides of him were secretly raging inwardly. One side wished to keep his cool, collective mask on, while the other wished to crush the mask and hug everyone in sight (oh so OOC. Sorry).  
  
Neji wasn't really all that touched at the immense amount of attention they were getting. He had known all along that this would be the outcome. After all, they were the top-ranking Jounins in the whole country. In fact, Neji would be surprised if there was even one person who did not know of them, even if it was not by name. He had figured that their coming back after eight years of training would be stunning to the villagers, with the exception of the other Jounins, and the Hokage, of course. Their team had interacted with the other ninja on several occasions. However, they hadn't seen one another in one or two years.  
  
Miharu, unlike the other two, was thrilled to be back at her home town, and for the first time in eight years, be allowed to interact with the villagers. Leaving Sasuke and Neji to bask in silence, she ran from one villager to the next, hugging and kissing (on the cheek, on the cheek) them all. They told her how much they missed her, and in return she assured them that she had missed them as well. She was surprised at how much the villagers had changed. However, there was one place she just HAD to go to, even before they went to the se the Hokage.  
  
*  
  
Miharu leaned back in her seat and sighed pleasantly. "Ahhh...I haven't been so full in years!!!" she moaned with pleasure as she pushed her thirteenth bowl of turkey-flavoured ramen away from in front of her. "Feel free to share if you want, you two!" she added cheerfully.  
  
Sasuke glanced over at Neji and rolled his eyes, making sure that Miharu wouldn't catch him. Neji saw this and grinned. They were both glad that she was full...despite the fact that they too were starving, she had finished off all the ramen (there was no more to share *sweatdrop*), along with all the money they had gathered over the past few months. If there was one person known to compete with the number one hyperactive ninja in a ramen eating competition, it had to be Miharu.  
  
After an hour, Miharu sat up and stretched. She looked around herself warily only to find two things. One, everyone in "Ichiraku Ramen" (I'm not sure if that's the name) was staring at her, and two, both Sasuke and Neji were fast asleep. First of all, she got up and glanced around. "Ehehehe...please don't mind us...You all know that we've just been back after an extremely long and tiring journey. We just came her to relax. Please go back to your meals."  
  
When everyone continued to stare, paying no attention to her words, Miharu became angry. "MOVE IT OR LOSE IT, YOU SLEAZEBALLS!" she screamed at them all. In less than two seconds, every head in the bar had whipped around and continued it's own conversation. Miharu sighed and slumped back into her seat.  
  
Checking the clock nearest to her, perched on the wall, she realized with a gasp that they were twenty minutes late for the meeting that Hokage- sama had summoned them for. Quickly she kicked both Neji and Sasuke hard underneath the table, waking them with a start.  
  
"Nani?" Sasuke asked groggily as he ran his hand across his eyes. Neji just glared at her.  
  
"Sorry to interrupt your beauty sleep, but we're late for the meeting!" She hissed at them, sliding out from the table. She began to walk out of the bar, Sasuke and Neji following close behind.  
  
"Our beauty sleep?" Sasuke muttered. "What about the three hour long ones you take?" Neji chuckled at this, but silenced quickly, along with Sasuke, as Miharu's head whipped around to stare at them.  
  
*  
  
Arriving at the tower fifteen minutes later, they plopped down onto the dirt road and leaned back, staring all the way to the top. "Eight long years..." Miharu said softly. "...since we've been to the village. Only four since we've seen any of the other Jounin or the Hokage. Actually, I heard that Tsunade-sama chose a new Hokage for the village..."  
  
Neji looked over at her, slight shock showing on his face. "Really?" He inquired, a question to be left unanswered. "I never heard of this. A new Hokage, huh? I wonder who it is she has chosen...? "Neji trailed off wondering. Tsunade-sama had been a good Hokage. He wondered who she could have chosen to take her place. "Who could it be?" He asked softly.  
  
"Huh?" came Miharu's reply. Neji shook his head in answer. Miharu nodded to show that she understood, then resumed her stare at the tall tower. How she longed to enter and see the others. It had been a while. "I wonder if any of them have changed at all?" She asked herself silently.  
  
Sasuke, too, stared up at the tall tower. He had fond memories of this place. Memories that no one could know...even if they tortured him with all the kisses and hugs in the world. This was the place where the testing had commenced, was it not? The very same place he had first been teamed up with Naruto and Sakura. Those two...the last time he had seen them, four years ago on their most recent mission together, they had changed quite a bit. Although Naruto was still loud and hyperactive, he wasn't so much as number one. At least, he wasn't that annoying. As for Sakura, she had definitely become stronger. She could still identify all types of genjutsu on impulse, but she was able to fend for herself...she had learned more ninjutsu. She had changed in looks to. Finally filling out, she had looked more like a young woman than just a teenager. Sometimes Sasuke regretted leaving them for Miharu and Neji, even though it was what the Hokage had asked of him.  
  
The tree remained like that, staring up at the tower, for some time. Finally, Neji snapped out of his trance and got up, dusting himself off. "Come on." He said to the others. "We have to go in."  
  
Now officially one hour late, the group entered the building, memories hitting them with an impact like that of a rock. Continuing onward, they embraced the pain, welcomed it with open arms. If this pain was the price they paid for loving, protecting, and cherishing the memories that they held dare to their hearts, they would keep it.  
  
Finally they came upon the door which would lead them into the room with all the others. Taking a deep breath, Miharu placed her hand on the handle of the oak doors. In doing so, she felt a sudden rush, as if a cold bucket of water had been thrown on her. She felt more awake...refreshed. Smiling brightly, she whispered to the others, "It's time."  
  
The door was opened.  
  
Silence greeted them. The faces of Sakura, TenTen, Lee, Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, Gaara, Temari, Kankuro, Hinata, Shino, Kiba, and Akamaru turned to their direction. The shock on their faces was evident. Kakashi-, Iruka-, and Gai-sensei all turned simultaneously to look upon the new arrivals. Their eyes, too, widened in surprise. The were the first three to break the silence. Stepping forward, Kakashi-sensei walked right up to Sasuke and looked him in the eye.  
  
"Sasuke," he said, "I've been waiting for your arrival to give this to you, now that you are of age. Taking one of Sasuke's hands from inside his pocket, Kakashi sensei took a book from his vest and placed it squarely on Sasuke's hand, closing his hand around it, he said, "What do you think?"  
  
Sasuke blushed furiously. Of course Kakashi-sensei had given Sasuke his very own copy of Para Para Paradise. Shoving the book in his back pouch and still blushing, he whispered, embarrassed, "Sensei, do you honestly think I'll read this?"  
  
Inwardly Kakashi sighed in relief. At least Sasuke still acknowledged him as his sensei. Smiling in mock love, Kakashi stared straight across (noting how much he had grown) into Sasuke's dark abyss, also known as his eyes. He then stated pointedly, "If you weren't going to read it, Sasuke, wouldn't you have given it back?" Following this he promptly disappeared into the crowd.  
  
Next Gai-sensei walked quickly up to Neji, tears overflowing in his round eyes, hidden under his trademark bushy eyebrows. "Oh Neji!" He wept. "How long it has been since last I saw you! A student leaving his teacher as he becomes a Jounin! Now you are at my level! Will you forget me, my past genin? Will I be no more in you fast and furious life?"  
  
Neji rolled his eyes once, twice...no, three times at his former teacher. "Sensei, you're overdoing it again." He stated in an irritable voice, much like the one Sasuke had used earlier that morning.  
  
"OH NEJI! You still see me as your sensei! I am so proud of and happy for you, my student!" Quickly walking backward, he managed to crash into the wall, ending up in an unconscious, crumpled heap on the floor. Neji, Miharu, and Sasuke, along with every other person in the room, sweatdropped.  
  
The last person to advance was Iruka. Walking slowly towards Miharu, he smiled warmly. "It's been a while, huh, my student?" Inquired her old sensei.  
  
Smiling brightly at him, she nodded enthusiastically. "Uh-huh! It has, hasn't it, sensei!?" under sudden impulse, she grabbed him in a tight hug. "I missed you all so much." She sighed into his vest, a single tear running down her cheek.  
  
Pulling her away from him, he smiled down at her. "You shouldn't be telling that to ME..." He moved out of the way so that she faced the whole crown of ninjas...her old friends. "...you should be telling that to them..."  
  
Disappearing from beside her to stand next to Kakashi, he watched to see how the Jounins would react after all this time. It seemed that, never mind their rank, they would always act as they had as children, whenever surrounded by one another. Even Gaara was mixed in with the crowd. (Is that OOC?)  
  
The three reunited ninjas looked at the crowd that greeted them. They all looked different in some way, with the exception of Akamaru, who, as a dog, looked basically the same as ever. (What a long life that dog must have!)  
  
Sakura's hair had grown long once again, but now she kept it in pigtails, high up on her head, at either side. She had discarded her red training outfit for a new red one. This outfit was a loose red tank top completed with red and black capris, which cut off in between her ankles and knees. Attached to her right leg was her case with kunais and shurikens, and higher above that she had tied her hitai-ate.  
  
Lee had grown his hair so that it flew away on either side of his head, and was in one single braid at the nape of his neck, which reached down to his waist. Instead of his green suit, he wore a Chinese-style white shirt, lined with black, and black Chinese-styled pants. He wore the traditional Chinese shoes also. (It's the same kind of outfit Ranma wears) His arms were still bandaged, his hitai-ate was still tied around his waist, and his pouch was still tied around his right leg.  
  
Shino's outfit was exactly the same except for the fact that his white top had been traded for a blue one which was exactly the same, without the sleeves.  
  
Hinata now wore a tight purple T-shirt embroidered with blue stars around the edges. She wore capris similar to Sakura's, except they were white. Her right arm was bandaged from her shoulder to elbow, and on the bandage she had tied her hitai-ate.  
  
Kiba now wore a long-sleeved black shirt with black track pants. His hitai-ate was tied loosely around his neck, and his pouch was tied to his right leg.  
  
Ino had cut her hair to shoulder length and had let it hang. Her one bang still remained, though. Her outfit was basically the same, except it had a lower neckline. She wore a cross pendant around her neck. Her hitai- ate was tied atop her head much like how Sakura's once was.  
  
Shikamaru, Choji, TenTen, Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro all remained basically the same as they had always been, seeing no need to change their style. After all the talking and explaining and reuniting, Sasuke noticed that something was off. Of course! "Hey," he said loud enough to be heard over the ruckus. "Where's the dobe?"  
  
Sakura smiled at him, her crush long ago thrown aside, forgotten. "Sasuke...you had better not call him a dobe anymore."  
  
"Why not?" Sasuke inquired, challenging her. After she had gotten over that silly little crush of hers, she and Sasuke had gotten along great. Almost like brother and sister.  
  
"Because..." came and extremely familiar voice from the front of the room. Sasuke, Miharu, and Neji turned towards the direction, having forgotten that there was someone in that side of the room after all.  
  
Everyone in the room, including the sensei's, grinned. The chair swung around suddenly and the three ninjas gasped. Blonde hair stuck out from the red and white headdress worn by the most important person in the whole village. Blue eyes full of mischief peeked out from underneath. However, it was the face of a man, not a boy, which looked at them with glee.  
  
"Because this dobe...is now Hokage!"  
  
End of Chapter 3!  
  
A/N: SO??? Was it good? Were you expecting this? I had originally had a whole different idea for this chapter, but while I was writing I was like, "Whoa! I have the coolest idea!" so, I put it. Anyway, The next chapter will be very interesting, and a new character is coming in. There should be some romance in there too, for all you romantics out there. Anyway, please review this chapter so I can improve in the next one! Ja! 


	4. Chapter 4 Assignments, Arguements, and a...

Love and Death  
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Naruto characters  
  
A/N: Ahhh... guess it was kind of obvious that Naruto was going to be Hokage. Oh well, so much for the surprise. Anyway, In this chapter, a new character is introduced, thanks to my friend Lisa. She wouldn't shut up about how she  
wanted to be in my fanfic, and how she wanted to be important, and BLAH BLAH BLAH! The only good thing about it was that the next chapter is the product of both of our ideas put together. That one might probably be the longest so far, because there's two fights in it, I think...and then some. As  
for this one, it's mostly socializing. There's a lot of catching up on relationships and romances, so all you romantics may enjoy those parts. The romance doesn't play that large of a role in this chappie as it does in the  
next, though. So, I hope you enjoy!  
  
Chapter 4-  
Assignments, Arguments, and a New Member  
  
"Because the dobe...is now Hokage!"  
  
Neji, Miharu, and Sasuke stared in utter shock, unable to believe the words which had just escaped the lips of their old friend. Naruto, Hokage? Although he had always dreamed and fanaticized of it, no one had actually believed that the number one hyperactive ninja, a.k.a. dobe, would actually  
make it.  
  
Now that they came to think of it, it did all fit. Tsunade-sama had  
always believed Naruto could be capable of becoming the Hokage. She had even said that while fighting HIM. But why not? Aside from his immaturity, Naruto was very strong. Probably stronger than both Neji and Sasuke...when he wanted to be. Despite this, all the Jounins had figured, from the day it was first announced, that Naruto would be the most laid-back, easy-going,  
and noisy Hokage they ever would have. No one argued with that.  
  
Naruto Hokage-sama grinned his old fox grin, eyes closed in glee. The  
others began to laugh. The latest-arriving ninja's faces showed nothing  
more than the highest possible level of shock. From their expressions,  
everyone could tell that this was the last thing they were expecting.  
  
"Surprised, ne minna-san?" Naruto questioned with unbelievable happiness. It was as if he was the happiest man on earth. "Betcha didn't expect the dobe to become the great Hokage, did you, Sasuke-bastard? That's all right! Remember, I did warn you guys that I was gunna be the greatest  
Hokage ever! Guess next time you're just gunna have to listen to what I  
say, huh?"  
  
Sasuke just stared, too stunned to speak. This time it was Miharu who snapped out of her daze first. Running forward, she stopped right in front of Naruto Hokage-sama's desk. "Wow, sugoi! I'm so happy for you, Naruto-  
kun! Who would have believed!? Demo...I definitely am happy that you have  
made your dreams come true!" She gushed, smiling brightly. During their journey, Miharu had missed Naruto the most. It wasn't necessarily because she had feelings for him. It was just that he was funny, and exciting to be around. When you were with Naruto, something was bound to happen that would make you laugh. Plus, she was the only one who could beat him in a ramen- eating competition. Who was she to compete with now? Hokage did not usually  
go to ramen bars for dinner...  
  
'Humph!' Neji had finally advanced. "So it seems as though this baka has finally decided to shape up and stop goofing off." He grinned slightly,  
a grin that was seen by no one...with the exception of Miharu. Turning to  
face the rest, Neji asked them, "Has he been a good Hokage so far?"  
  
Most of the crowd nodded. "He's actually made some really good decisions for the village." Sakura spoke up. "And he's amazing in battle.  
You guys really have to see him fight sometime later on..."  
  
Hinata stepped forward. Looking at Naruto, she blushed furiously. "This might just be my opinion, b-but I honestly think that Naruto-kun has gotten much h-ho...I mean, cuter t-than before." Quickly glancing up from the floor, she saw everyone grinning, including Naruto. She looked back down  
and added, "H-he's a really good fighter too!"  
  
The whole room burst into laughter, and Miharu's smile widened. "So,  
it seems as if there's a little somethin' somethin' going on here..." she  
looked from Naruto to Hinata, then cast her eyes over the room, waiting  
expectantly for an answer.  
  
Ino smiled as she spoke, laughter filled her eyes. "Two years after you three left, which is also two years ago, Hinata worked up the courage to ask Naruto out. The best part was, it was in front of all of us that she asked him! Anyway, Naruto of course said yes, because after he had realized  
that Hinata liked him...which was a  
lo-o-ng time ago, just to let you know, he began to like her back. So, whatever, they went out, and have been going steady ever since! Isn't it  
sweet?" Ino pretended to cry.  
  
Miharu waltzed right up to Hinata and gave her a BIG hug. "Good for you, girl!" she whispered into her ear. Stepping back, she glanced over at Neji, to see what he thought. He was glaring at Hinata, who didn't seem to notice nor care. After a while, his eyes softened, and he grinned slightly  
once more. It seemed that he was happy for his cousin after all.  
  
Sasuke, on the other hand, looked downright amused. "So, Naruto got over his crush on Sakura, did he?" Sakura nodded frantically in answer to  
his question. Sasuke chuckled softly, getting startled glances from the  
rest of the group.  
  
"Don't worry." Miharu assured them. "He's not on crack, and he's not sick. Actually, he's been smiling and laughing a lot lately. Well...a lot in  
Sasuke standards..." She added, earning a laugh from her fellow ninjas, including Sasuke. What she didn't add though, was that his sudden change of attitude had occurred right after the nightmares following his brother's  
brutal murder at his own hands had ended.  
  
Miharu took all conversation into her hands. "So," she prompted, giving everyone a thorough inspection with only her eyes. "Are there any  
more relationships I need to know about?"  
  
Shikamaru sighed. "Oh, how troublesome. Fine. Ino and I have been going steady for about three years now..." Ino hugged him enthusiastically to  
further state her point, and Shikamaru sighed again. "This dating stuff  
really is troublesome."  
  
Miharu grinned widely. "Ahh! Kawaii! You two are sooo perfect for one  
another! I can't believe it! This is great!"  
  
TenTen stepped forward tentatively. "I've got something to tell you  
also, Miharu." She glanced over at Lee, and continued. "Although it may seem hard to believe, Lee and I have been going out for the past year..." In a very un-TenTen like motion, she blushed and backed up. Lee, on the other  
hand, looked very proud.  
  
Miharu raised her eyebrows. "Really? That is very unexpected. Wow. So  
who asked who?"  
  
Lee grinned. "Of course, the most gorgeous beast of the Konoha  
Village was brave enough to ask his lady out on a date!" His eyes overfilled with tears, much like Gai-sensei's had earlier. "I'm so happy!"  
He sobbed.  
  
Miharu grimaced. "Stop it! You're still calling yourself that?  
Although you look much better than you did last time, you're still  
definitely not the most gorgeous beast of ANY village, Konoha, Mist, or Air." (is there air?)She sighed as everyone in the room laughed, including  
TenTen and Lee. "Anyway, didn't you have a crush on Sakura?"  
  
"I had to give up." Lee admitted, shrugging his shoulders in defeat.  
"It was never going to happen."  
  
"Oh...but then, who are you with, Sakura?"  
  
"No one! And I'm perfectly happy with it!" Sakura exclaimed,  
laughing.  
  
"Wha? No one? Are you serious? But you're so pretty!"  
  
"Hehe...thanks for the complement, but I am serious. Anyway, you don't  
have a man either, so why should you talk?" Sakura wanted to know.  
  
"That's none of your business!" Stated Miharu, grinning sheepishly. 'Truth is,' she thought to herself, 'I travel with two potential suitors 24/7.' But she wouldn't let anyone no that, anyway. 'I love my group!' She  
screamed with joy, inwardly.  
  
'She's probably just happy that she has Neji and Sasuke with her all  
the time...' Sakura silently concluded, watching her old friend's face.  
'Plus, they've both opened up and have become friendlier since the last  
time we were all together like this. She's pretty lucky.'  
  
"HEY! WHY IS EVERYONE FORGETTING ME! I'M THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN KONOHA NOW!!!" Naruto yelled out, loud enough to be heard by anyone outside  
the tower. All the villagers stopped at the sound of his voice, but continued on with their chores after a few minutes. It was normal enough  
anyway, ever since Naruto Hokage-sama had become...well...Hokage.  
  
"Warui, Naruto Hokage-sama." Apologized Ino and Sakura at the same  
time.  
  
"Gomen ne, Naruto-kun." Apologized Hinata.  
  
Naruto looked at Hinata with horror. "Hinata-chan! YOU don't have to  
apologize! Please take it back! I'd feel horrible if I'd accepted an  
apology from you that you never even had to give!"  
  
'How sweet!' Miharu thought. 'I wish someone was like that with me!'  
  
Hinata smiled shyly. "Hai, N-Naruto-kun." Naruto smiled with approval, and gave her his foxiest grin. Hinata's whole face turned as red  
as a tomato.  
  
Neji's 'humph!' was loud enough for the whole room to hear. Quieting down, they turned to face him, including Miharu, who had mixed and mingled with her old friends. Stepping up from his place behind Sasuke, Neji began speaking, a hint of bitterness in his voice. "This lovely relationship crap is all good and great, but I believe we all got called here for a mission,  
not to discuss our love lives." He directed his gaze straight toward  
Naruto. "Hokage-sama? Are you planning on telling us what you called us  
here for?"  
  
Naruto shuddered. Neji's gaze made his skin crawl. Although Naruto knew that, as Hokage, he was way stronger than Neji could ever be, he still believed that Neji was one guy NOT to be messed with. Clearing his throat  
importantly, Naruto began to speak, for the first time that day, in the  
tone of a true Hokage.  
  
"Right. I have called you all to this tower for one extremely  
important mission. Maybe the last one you'll be having for a long time.  
  
"You've all probably noticed that Orochimaru's Sound ninja's have begun appearing recently in areas near to the village. From my informants, I've gathered that he's planning something big. No one is quite sure what  
it is yet, but we know for sure that it is something that will affect  
everyone.  
  
"I've called you all here because you are the best of the Jounins. All of you have even passed your old sensei in battle, both in strength and  
strategy. That's why it's you, and not the older Jounin that I need.  
  
"Basically what is going to happen is you're going to make your way up to where Orochimaru is...carefully and unbeknownst to him. Make sure that every enemy, be it Sound or any other, is ELIMINATED. We cannot have the risk of you letting the information leak, so that Orochimaru finds out that  
we are on to him.  
  
"You've got two months to complete this task. I give you that time because I realize that Orochimaru is the strongest ninja ever known. I give you that time because I know that in order to defeat him, you'll need to  
tread carefully.  
  
"First, before any of this may commence, I need our newest team to  
step forward. I have a special mission...assignment...for them to complete before we can go about out task." Looking over into the shadows hiding the doorway on the left side of the room, Naruto Hokage-sama called out, "Kisa,  
please step forward!"  
  
A young girl, about the age of 18, stepped from the shadows. She wore a white blouse which covered her left shoulder, but dipped underneath her right, leaving it bare. The left sleeve reached down to the fingertips of her left hand. She wore a red skirt which cut off exactly halfway between  
her waist and knee, and bandages wound themselves around her legs until they reached her knees, where they stopped. A red bandana kept her blond flyaway hair from her face. In the belt of her skirt was a dagger, hidden  
away in it's sheath, and a pouch was tied around her waist. She wore a  
choker around her neck.  
  
"You three, this is Hiragi Kisa, your assignment. Kisa-san, the one with the black top is Neji, with the blue top is Sasuke, and the girl is Miharu. They are your bodyguards." When finished with the introductions,  
Naruto Hokage-sama began to explain their task more clearly.  
  
"Kisa is being pursued by certain ninja for unknown reasons. It seems as though they wish to dispose of her. Your job is to safely transport her  
to the Village of the Hidden Mist, where you will then meet up with the rest of the Jounin. If any of her pursuers catch up with you, or you meet  
up with them, don't skirt around. Kill them. They cannot be allowed to  
catch up with her at any time."  
  
The young girl Kisa walked forward and bowed to the three ninja to whom she was to be protected by. "Arigatou gozaimasu." Standing straight, she looked right at all of them. "I hope I will not be of any trouble to you. I can protect myself..." pointing to her dagger, she continued. "And I  
also know a slight amount of hand-to-hand combat. I hope this will be  
useful to you."  
  
Naruto Hokage-sama nodded. "Your first assignment begins right now. The time we start the major mission will depend on your timing. Good luck."  
  
A/N: So, did you like this chapter? I tried to please you all with romance,  
but Neji was getting a little fed up with it all. The next chapter will hold a slight amount more romance than this one did. Anyway, I'm not quite  
sure if I got the village names right...and one other thing, but I can't remember now. I'm off to do homework, and then I'll finish the next chapter  
tonight. Please review! Ja ne! 


	5. Chapter 5 Never Ending Journey

Love and Death Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Naruto characters.  
  
A/N: Sorry I didn't put this up yesterday. I was busy shopping, and then I came home and watched anime, so...I didn't really have any time. But, anyway, this starts of with Miharu and the others as they make their way towards the Village of the Hidden Mist. There's a tiny bit of romance, but that's about it. I won't waste time. Hope you enjoy chapter 5! * Is it ok if I have an inner Sasuke? It just sounds so interesting! *  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Never Ending Journey  
  
"Good Luck."  
  
Naruto Hokage-sama's last words echoed in Miharu's mind. Hiragi Kisa...their assignment. They were to transport her safely to the Village of the Hidden Mist. Yet still, when Naruto had explained their mission, something inside Miharu had made her feel like running from an assignment, for the first time in her life. It wasn't that she was afraid. She had never been afraid of any mission before, and she certainly didn't fear killing the enemy. It was something else...  
  
She couldn't pretend. She very well knew what it was that she was feeling. It was jealousy. As the only female in the group, Miharu had always gotten the boys' attention. Although she was strong, the strongest female ninja known, she was still the weakest in her group. Whenever she was in trouble, the boys would come to her aid, without having to pay attention to anyone else. It wasn't that she didn't like being an independent ninja, who could take care on her own...it was just that she had loved being their center of attention.  
  
Now, however, there was another female travelling with them. Although she would only be in their care for two weeks at the most, Miharu knew that during that time she would not be the important one...she was, instead, the bodyguard. Kisa was pretty, beautiful even...and she was innocent. She had not the smell of blood lingering upon her, nor the hands of an assassin. Her life was not tainted by the deaths of others by her own hands. She carried a dagger, though Miharu was sure that she had never used it before. And although she knew hand to hand combat, she did not know taijustsu. She was vulnerable. Not a ninja, not a fighter...she was the perfect person to protect...  
  
Kisa stared worriedly at the back of Miharu-san. She had known from the very beginning that she wouldn't have liked her much. After all, Kisa was an intruder. Miharu had been the only girl in a group of two incredibly handsome, maybe even beautiful, men. Then Kisa came along, making the male to female ratio two to two. Kisa took away the only reason that Miharu may have had to be the center of attention. Now Miharu was the protector instead of the victim.  
  
Sasuke and Neji both didn't seem to mind if Kisa had joined the group. They seemed to also not notice Miharu's unhappiness. In fact, they went about as if nothing was different from the way it was before. It made her feel uncomfortable, all the mixed emotions in the group. One was not afraid to show emotion, one was gradually learning to open himself to others, and the last was one that never let his emotions give way. It was confusing.  
  
Kisa continued walking, not noticing anything but those she was following. Suddenly her feet flew from under her and she went flying face first into the dirt, crying out as she landed.  
  
Neji and Sasuke turned with a start. Looking down they say their charge lying in the ground, crying softly. They walked back to where she had fallen.  
  
Miharu, on the other hand, was still deep in thought. Because she was far in front of the others, she had not noticed they had stopped. Continuing onward, she disappeared into the fog, unnoticed by her companions.  
  
"Ugh..." Escaped from Kisa's lips as she pulled herself out of the dirt, and sat down upon the rough ground. "Itai..."  
  
"Daijobou?" Asked both Neji and Sasuke, urgently. They knelt on either side of her, looking slightly worried.  
  
Looking forward, she said forcefully "Hai!" Turning her head to the left, she shoved Sasuke...hard. He fell back. "I'M FINE!" She yelled. Turning to her right, she was about to push Neji away also, but her hand stopped in mid-shove. She began to blush. Lowering her head, she whispered, "No, seriously, I'm ok..."  
  
Getting up off his ass, Sasuke frowned. "Fine then." He said, and walked away. It was only then that he noticed a missing presence. His frown deepening, he realized whose it was. "Oy, minna...where's Miharu?"  
  
*  
  
Miharu had finally stopped, in the thickness of the mist. Snapping out of her deep trance, she looked around to notice that no one else was with her. Where were they all? "Sasuke?" She called out. No answer. "Neji?" She called out more frantically. Still no answer. "Kisa..." She trailed off with slight depression in her voice.  
  
Had something happened which she was not aware of? What other reasons were there for the others' disappearances? What had happened while she had been thinking? Now she was alone, truly independent...  
  
A sudden rustling sound caught her attention. "W-who's there?" Silently she cursed herself for stuttering. If it was the enemy, she couldn't afford for them to notice her nervousness. "Sasuke? Neji? Kisa?" Looking around carefully, she continued. "If it is you guys, this isn't funny at all!" All of a sudden she heard a voice.  
  
"Heh heh heh..." the laughter filled the dense woods. It came from all directions, a tactic meant to confuse the enemy. A blast of fire penetrated the woods blocking her in. Realizing that she was about to be hit, she quickly began her hand seals. "Doton Doroku Gaeshi!" (Earth Element: Earth Shield) she yelled out, causing a huge piece of earth to protect her from the flames. Once again the voice filled the forest. It held evil and hatred in it's depths. "It seems you are the talented Leaf ninja, strongest female of them all...you surely do live up to your reputation." It stated, a hint of amusement in its voice.  
  
"I'm sick of this crap!" Miharu yelled out to the bodiless voice. "Show yourself, and prepare for a deathmatch, one which you will loose!" Tensing, she drew out a kunai.  
  
The voice laughed once more. "We shall see..." All of a sudden, she saw an image of death...  
  
Miharu screamed.  
  
*  
  
"Where did Miharu go?" Asked Sasuke, a hint of worry lingering behind his words.  
  
"Who cares?" replied Neji, still kneeling beside the fallen Kisa. Kisa looked up at him hesitantly, then spoke.  
  
"Neji-san...that's not too nice..." she said softly.  
  
Sasuke just frowned. [[ Inner Sasuke ]] Arrghh!! That brat! She pisses me off! Wandering off so that I have to worry about her! Shit! Now I have to go and save her sorry little ass!!! [[ Inner Sasuke End ]] "I'm not joking, Neji. What if she gets cornered? It will be one on three. She's a good fighter, but I doubt she's that good..."  
  
Neji agreed with a nod of his head and got up, much to Kisa's disappointment. "Fine. We'll go look for her." Neji began walking. "But now the time for our mission will increase..."  
  
Sasuke waited for Kisa to stand. When she did, he too began to walk. She followed silently, guilt eating at her soul. 'It's my fault that Miharu- san has gone off by herself. If I had not been so clumsy, then the group wouldn't have split up. And I did not even bring it to their attention when she was walking away!' She thought. Inwardly, she began to cry. 'Wahhhh! An idiot and a klutz!'  
  
A scream erupted from the depths of the forest, causing the birds in the trees to scatter. Both Neji and Sasuke went on the alert. It took a while before they realized, but when they did...  
  
"That's Miharu's voice!" Sasuke stated worriedly, realization dawning on him. Running forward, he was stopped suddenly when a total of twenty shurikens were thrown in his direction, barring him from his path. "Wha-?" he began.  
  
"To your right..." Neji told him, using his Byakugan. Quickly he walked over towards Kisa, so he could hide her from harm. However, when he touched her arm, she flinched. Noticing this, Neji frowned. "Nani?" he wanted to know.  
  
The young girl looked up at him. "Y-your eyes..." she began, but cut off abruptly, still staring into his face.  
  
Neji looked down on her with obvious discomfort. He didn't like the way she was looking at him. "Byakugan...advanced bloodline..." His eyes hardened, and he stated more firmly, "I'm a Hyuuga...didn't you realize?" he told her. Quickly she turned her head away, but not before Neji could see the horror in her eyes.  
  
*  
  
Dropping to the ground, Miharu cried out. The image she had seen in her mind had made her throw up. It was the most horrible thing she had witnessed in all her life. And although she tried to convince herself that it was just an illusion, her mind wouldn't believe. She was as good as dead in this condition.  
  
Gasping for death, on the brink of unconsciousness, she saw before her two men and a woman. All three of them had red hair...the colour of blood. Their arms were covered with tattoos...of snakes. Their eyes were blank...white and blank. Their faces were horribly scarred. The woman wore loose shorts, which reached halfway down her legs, revealing the rest of her heavily tattooed body. Her shirt was dark blue, same as her shorts, and cut off at the shoulders. Her hitai-ate, showing her to be one of the famed Sound ninjas, was tied tightly around her head.  
  
The men dressed alike. They both wore the same shirt as the woman, but instead of shorts, wore pants which tightened the closer it came to their ankles. These pants were black. They, too, wore their hitai-ate on their foreheads. All three of them had their kunai pouch tied around their left legs.  
  
The woman spoke. "I see you are not so immune to genjutsu...I will have to keep that information handy...just in case we'll meet again, although that I highly doubt. You are obviously not in a state to fight. "  
  
Miharu spat weakly at the woman's feet. Looking upward, she growled "I sure as hell ain't going to loose to you assholes..." Gathering her strength, she got up slowly, holding on to a nearby tree for support.  
  
"Those are big words, girl. But it seems as though you don't have the strength to back them up..." The woman did a fast variety of hand seals, then murmured, holding out her hands, "Senei Jyashuu!" All of a sudden, multiple snakes escaped from her arms, racing through the air to where Miharu stood, slumped over. Biting into her skin and wrapping themselves around her torso, the snakes dragged Miharu closer to the Sound ninjas. Bleeding furiously, slumped over, Miharu's limp body was suspended in mid-air by the woman's snakes. Her breath came out in ragged gasps. She was loosing blood quickly.  
  
The two men who had stood grinning the whole time now advanced. Running towards Miharu, the jumped into the air. "Shoushitsu!" (Knee Strike) They cried out, raising their knees in unison and striking Miharu in the gut at the exact same time. She cried out in pain, as blood spurted from her mouth. The men dropped to the ground, grinning. They repeated this several times before the woman's snakes dropped Miharu to the ground. Turning, the woman grinned. "You can't kill me." She smirked, and began walking away.  
  
Coughing up blood, Miharu realized what she needed to do. Turning herself over so she laid on her back, her hand reached for a kunai. Grabbing it from her pouch, she rose her arm high above herself. She brought it down just as the woman and her cronies turned back to her direction.  
  
"Shit!"  
  
"Iie!" Quickly the woman grabbed her shuriken from her pouch, and threw them at where Miharu had lain last. She was too late. The girl had used pain to erase her fear. She had disappeared into the woods. Slowly, the woman grinned. The girl was too badly injured to put to full use her skills. In the state she was in now, the woman would have no problem winning.  
  
Suddenly Miharu came charging out of the forest, kunais in both hands. Doing the hand seals, the woman grinned. "Kaze no Yaiba!" She murmured with anticipation. Laughing, she stared at the log, which had been cut into two pieces by her attack. She had already predicted that the girl would use Kawarimi no Jutsu. "Up above..." She whispered to herself. Doing the hand seals, she once again murmured "Kaze no Yaiba!" The same blade of wind headed straight at what the woman believed was another Kawarimi no Jutsu. Because of this belief, she had not noticed another figure lurking behind her. Silently the figure did the hand seals.  
  
Finally the blade of wind made contact with the young girl, who evaporated into thin air. Gasping, the woman turned to look behind her just as a strong rope flew out of nowhere, binding her to the ground. Coughing, she called out, "Sound ninja...atta-"  
  
"It's no use..." Miharu grinned weakly, slumping once more against a tree. "They've been dead for a while now..." She turned her head towards the limp bodies of the woman's partners hanging from a nearby tree. "As you will be soon."  
  
Slowly performing the hand seals, Miharu called out softly, "Suiton Tepou Dama!" (Water Element: Steel Cannon Ball) Opening her mouth wide, balls of water, infused with her chakra, escaped and sped straight toward her opponent. As they hit her she screamed out.  
  
After the attack, she lay on the floor unmoving. Yet she was not dead. She had one last breath left. With it, she said softly, blank eyes hidden beneath closed lids, "This is what I get for fighting the strongest ninja.... Orochimaru-sama...gomen ne..."  
  
Miharu's ragged breaths were giving her a hard time. "I must look like a piece of crap..." She stated. She wasn't too far from the truth. Blood caked every inch of her body, and there were punctures all over her arms and legs, where the snakes had bitten her. Looking upward, she shook her head. "This is no place to stay..." she gasped for breath. "I have to hide." She slowly began to climb the tree, her only means of support for the time. She would wait for the others to find her there.  
  
*  
  
Neji left Kisa to hide behind a thick bunch of bushes, all far away from the dirt path. He raced back to join Sasuke, who had been confronted by three ninja. These, however, were not Sound ninja. On the other hand, they were ninja from the Village of the Hidden rain.  
  
"What the hell?" Muttered Sasuke. He stared at each of them, wondering what they would want. This would be one of the few encounters which had ended up in battle between them and any of the Hidden Rain Shinobi.  
  
"They must be the ones after the girl." Answered Neji in a whisper, sizing his opponents up also.  
  
As if hearing his assumption, the Shinobi felt a sudden need to confirm what he had said. The leader, a man wearing a green and gray T- shirt and pants to match, whose hitai-ate crookedly covered his right eye, stepped forward. "If you can peacefully hand over the girl we know you have, no one will have to get hurt." He grinned.  
  
Neji 'humph!' –ed and Sasuke smirked. This seemed to infuriate the ninja. "Do you honestly think you can look down upon me?" He roared. "I'll teach you, you little brats!" Grabbing the umbrella from his back, he threw them into the air. "Jouro Senbon!" (Raining Needles) He cried out furiously.  
  
From his umbrella came thousands of senbon (needles), all guided by his chakra. "First I'll kill you, and then I'll get the girl!" He yelled. "All of these needles are in my control. I can guide their path...straight to you!" All of a sudden the senbon raced straight at Neji and Sasuke. They didn't move, however. They both grinned.  
  
Sasuke's hands moved quickly to create a seal. "Donton Doryou Heki!" (Earth Element: Mudslide Barrier) He cried. A thick wall of earth rose before him and Neji, deflecting the attack back towards their opponent.  
  
Using his chakra, the Hidden Rain shinobi quickly stopped all thousand needles in mid air. They dropped to the ground uselessly. Looking up from his fallen attack, he stared straight into the face of Neji. Holding up his open palm, he pressed the Ninja's chakra holes, absorbing his chakra into his hand. When he was positive that his opponent was as good as dead, he kicked him across the floor, into a tree. The force of the ninja hitting the tree was so strong that it cracked at the base and fell...right upon the Hidden Rain ninja. Neji turned to see how well Sasuke was doing with his side of the fight.  
  
After immobilizing them, Sasuke decided to use one of his old but highly effective attacks. After all, he had no time to loose. Miharu was lost, and she could be dead for all he knew. Facing them both, he performed the proper hand signals. "Katon Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" He murmured softly, as a blast of fire was emitted from his mouth. It engulfed his two opponents in flames. He watched them drop to the ground screaming, burning to death. The smell of burning flesh was nauseating. He turned to Neji. "Get the girl and let's go. We have to find Miharu."  
  
Raising his eyebrows and Sasuke's sudden worry for their female companion, Neji did as he was told. Grabbing the girl from behind the bushes, he led her into the field. "Don't pay any attention to the bodies, nor the smell." He ordered her. "Just follow us as quickly as possible." Letting go of her arm he followed Sasuke, on their way to find The Brat.  
  
*  
  
Ten minutes later they stumbled upon dead bodies, two swinging from the branch of a tree, one laying upon the ground. There was blood splattered all over the place. Sasuke examined every inch of the area. Finally he came upon the bloodstain on the trunk of one of the trees. Looking toward Neji, he nodded his head toward the direction of the tree.  
  
Using Byakugan, Neji looked to where Sasuke had asked. "You're right. She's up there. She looks like crap though. Looks like that three on one fight almost killed her..." He trailed of, as Sasuke sped up the tree, towards where Miharu was hidden.  
  
Cradling her in his arms, he turned to jump down when she moaned. "Sasuke?" she asked, eyes hardly open.  
  
"Shhh..." he quieted her. "Sleep..."  
  
Snuggling deeply into his arms, she obliged.  
  
*  
  
Three days later she awoke in a hospital room, surrounded by her two teammates and her charge. Sitting up quickly, she glanced around. "What happened?" She asked worriedly.  
  
Kisa looked at her with guilt. Carefully she explained what had happened, from her tripping over the log and causing them to separate, to Miharu having been asleep for the past three days, in the hospital.  
  
Miharu listened carefully to every word, unable to speak. So, it was Kisa who had caused her to almost die? Miharu felt like jumping up and murdering her. However, she kept the feeling inside, and lay back down. "When do we leave here?" She asked wearily. Neji handed her her clothes.  
  
"Now." Was his reply.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
Twenty minutes later they were once again traveling through the forests. Miharu had spent that time thinking about how she had almost died thanks to that girl. Finally, she could hold her anger no longer. She exploded.  
  
Turning on Kisa, she screamed at her. "HOW COULD YOU BE SO STUPID???" Her hands itched to reach for a kunai...to kill this girl with one blow. "YOU ALMOST CAUSED A DEATH WHICH COULD RESULT IN YOURS! A TEAM NEEDS THREE PEOPLE TO OPERATE! IF I HAD DIED, THIS TEAM WOULD HAVE NO LONGER EXISTED!!! YOU WOULD BE DEAD!" Miharu didn't pay any attention to the tears which were pouring down Kisa's face. Even if she had, she wouldn't have cared. She was too angry to care. "YOU AS—"She was cut off abruptly as Neji began to speak.  
  
"You really have no right to yell at her." He began. "It was your own carelessness which caused your near death. If you had been paying attention to what you were doing, instead of thinking about whatever it was that you were thinking, you would have realized that she had fallen, and would have stayed with us. Personally..." He continued, ignoring the look of betrayal which was clearly shown on Miharu's face. She looked heartbroken. "...I wouldn't have cared less if you had died."  
  
This statement was followed by silence...then....  
  
WHAM!  
  
Neji went flying across the dirt floor, landing roughly on his back. Sasuke stood in front of Miharu, fist outstretched. He had punched Neji in the mouth.  
  
Kisa ran over to where Neji lay, helping him up. "Neji-san!" She cried out. "Daijobou desu ka?" She asked. She looked up at Sasuke frightfully.  
  
Miharu gasped. "Sasuke...you didn't have to do that..." She told him, a bit of fright hidden in her words.  
  
Sasuke caught the fright she tried to hide, and it stung him. (OOC, gomen) However, he shrugged it off. "You...you shut up, too." He said to her, leaving her confused. Finally, she decided that something needed to happen.  
  
"If we continue like this..." she started, then gulped. "With our strength, we could end up killing one another. Maybe we need some time to cool of...maybe...for the first time ever...we need to split up." Silently she looked at them all.  
  
Neji, now sitting up, spat out blood. "Fine. You're all assholes anyway." Getting up, he headed off, Kisa following close behind. Miharu looked up at Sasuke, trying to hide her happiness.  
  
"I guess we're together then."  
  
End of Chapter 5!  
  
A/N: This held a little OOC ness in it, I know, and I'm sorry. IT was the only way I could fit in the romance you wanted. Anyway, in the next chapter it's Sasuke and Miharu together, and following that, it's Neji and Kisa...unless you want it the other way around. Hope you enjoyed chapter 5! Once again, sorry I couldn't have it up yesterday! Please review! Ja! 


	6. Chapter 6 All Alone With You: part one

Love and Death Disclaimer: I do not own any Naruto characters, but I'll always wish I did...  
  
A/N: Copy-Nin-Kakashi, to answer your question, They're all twenty years of age, with the exception of people like TenTen, Lee, and Neji, because they're one year older (twenty-one). Anyway, I'm going to stop worrying about them being out of character, because as Copy-Nin-Kakashi said, (in one of her author's notes in a fic she wrote) because they're older, we can't really know how they're going to act. Aside from that, I would just like to say that I have never really added "Romance" into one of my "romance" stories yet, so...I don't really know how to write it. So if my romance is totally horrible, could you please give me suggestions so I can fix it? Thanks a lot!  
  
**Miharu's dream as a fanfiction author** (Reaction of my readers...  
  
Readers: Miharu-sama, story wa sugoi desu! To*, Kakkoi bishoujen desu! Miharu: Arigatou, arigatou gozaimasu! Dozo! Readers: Miharu-sama, Miharu-sama, Miharu-sama (chanting) Miharu: Ahhh! Minna-san, daisuki desu! Kimi wa hounto ne sugoi desu!  
  
**End Miharu's Dream**  
  
* "To" means and in Japanese...  
  
Now that you know my dream, how will you react? **Thinks** hmmm.... Chapter 6 All Alone with You: Part One  
  
'I can't believe this...we've actually...' Miharu looked into Sasuke's eyes. She couldn't read any of his emotions at all. 'How can he not be affected by this?' she wondered. 'For the first time ever...we've split up!'  
  
As Sasuke stared back into Miharu's gray eyes, all of a sudden a strong wave of emotion washed over him. He had no idea why, but for a brief moment, he was happy, ecstatic almost, that his team had split up. But as he searched deeper into the look she gave him, he could see that the feeling wasn't mutual. Depressed, now, he shook the feeling away. It seemed she wasn't as happy to be with him as he was to be with her...  
  
"Sasuke..." she started, then cut off and looked away. What was she supposed to say to him? Ultimately, it was her fault why they had split up. Even she had to admit that now. She could have held her temper...she didn't have to scream at Kisa...yet. Then this whole mess wouldn't have happened. They would still all be together...the three of them...plus her.  
  
"Gomen ne..." she almost whispered as she dropped to the ground. "Gomen ne!" Hiding her face in her hands, she began to sob. She realized that she might be making a scene out of this, but for her, this was big. She had never wanted them to split up...not after how that had been a huge, emotionally damaging, part of her past. She had never wanted to witness another break up in her life. But now...now she was forced to relive her biggest fear...  
  
What if Neji got hurt? Kisa couldn't fight enemies of their calibur. What if he got attacked? He would be responsible for saving her and himself. It wasn't easy to look after someone who was being chased on your own. Miharu knew that from experience. She was always so happy when the three of them were together...she had always felt that the three of them were family. But now...  
  
Sasuke looked down at his companion, worry etched on every line of his face, in his eyes, in the way his brow furrowed. Why was she crying? Was he really that horrible of a person? Didn't she want to be with him? When she had said that they should split up, he had wondered for a moment if he would have to look after their assignment, while Miharu had gone with Neji. He thought to himself, 'I won't allow it!'  
  
When it had turned out that Miharu would be with him after all, happiness welled up inside of him like nothing he had ever felt before. They would be together for three whole days! But now, looking at her cry like that, he wondered if she should have gone with Neji after all.  
  
Dropping down to his knees, he hesitated. What should he do? He didn't want to be too forward, and yet, he didn't want to seem like a heartless bastard. Slowly, hesitantly, his arms wrapped around her torso and pulled her closer. When she didn't flinch...didn't recoil...he lay his head on top of hers and sighed. Dropping his head to her shoulders, he whispered into her ear, "Don't cry. Please don't cry."  
  
Lifting her head up slightly, she looked behind her only to see him holding on to her as if the world was going to end. His eyes were closed. There was a look of pure peace and happiness on his face. Did he....could he...was it possible that he could feel the same way about her as she did about him? 'Impossible...' she thought to herself. She wasn't worthy...she had been the cause of the whole fight. How could he hold onto her like that after she had done such a horrible thing?  
  
Slowly she crept out of his arms. Opening his eyes and lifting his head, he looked at her. She hated what she saw in his eyes. It was if she had ripped out his heart...the greatest pain possible. He looked at her desperately, as if he was willing to beg to get her back. "Sasuke...kun." She whispered, looking straight into his black eyes.  
  
Hearing her finally say it, he was filled with joy. Sasuke. Kun. She had finally called him the name he had waited to hear from the perfect person. She was that person. In that moment he knew they were made for each other. He loved her...he loved her with an unbearable love. He would die for her.  
  
Miharu smiled wearily as she saw his dark eyes light up at the sound of that name, his name, escaping from her lips. The lips which smiled shyly when he looked at her with the deepest longing. They were meant for each other, she knew, and she would always know.  
  
She forgot. Forgot that she feared rejection. Forgot that she had been the cause of the fight. Forgot there was anyone else in this world. Forgot everything. For in that moment, even without him saying it, she knew that he loved her. Processing that knowledge, she began to cry once again. The perfect man. He loved her. It was the happiest moment of her life.  
  
She threw herself at him. Flung her arms around his strong shoulders. Began to cry helplessly. Yet it was not tears of pain, anger, or sorrow. It was the tears of utmost joy which she shed. Pressing herself against him, sobs racked her throat. She loved him too.  
  
You are magic Your love is the medicine for my pain No matter what My life is yours  
  
Love me, Never forget me Your words, your soul, your heart Is mine  
  
My words, my soul, my heart Is yours Forever and ever My love  
  
"Don't cry." He said once again. "Please don't cry." Slowly he began to caress her shoulders. He kissed the top of her head. "I love you..."  
  
Miharu lifted her head from his shoulders and looked into his eyes. "You...you really love me..." she stated, unsure of what she had heard, more than asked. From the look in his eyes, she could tell he wasn't lying. His heart belonged to her. And hers belonged to him. "You have my love...my soul...my heart...Sasuke-kun..." she smiled softly.  
  
"And you have mine."  
  
"I really do love you...I always have...I always will." Still hugging him, she said into his ear.  
  
"I know." He said to her. Looking up into the sky, he wondered what he had ever done to have the attention, the love, the affection, of this girl. Never had he done something so rewarding. Something that felt so good.  
  
Miharu was going insane. These feelings filled her up. Made her feel as if she was going to burst. Never had she felt something so good...so right. He loved her, with all his soul. He would do anything for her. He would die with her. She had never had love that felt so good. It was meant to be, it really was. They were one, body, soul, mind. And they always would be.  
  
**Flashback**  
  
"Sasuke! Wait up!" Miharu called as she ran to catch up with the Chuunin. They had passed the exam months ago. As higher level ninja, they were to go on higher missions of course. This being so, a new team had been assigned. A special team, taking only the best, and putting them together.  
  
This was Team 00 (is that already a team?), consisting of Neji, Miharu, and Sasuke. They were to go on special missions. When the Jounin were busy, the missions that the Chuunin couldn't handle. These were their missions. And this was their first one. They were to retrieve a stolen scroll from the Village of the Hidden Mist.  
  
"What do you want?" Sasuke asked gruffly. He stopped unwillingly, waiting for her to answer.  
  
She slowed her pace, and stopped when she reached at his side. Looking sideways at him, she smiled. "It's going to be really fun working together, isn't it? I've never really seen you in battle, though. Are you really as good as everyone says you are? Oh, I have a great idea! We can fight sometime! Are you up for it?"  
  
Looking at him happily, she felt a tingle run up and down her spine. She was not the type that spent her days fantasizing over guys. She was one of the few that realized that guys could wait. Instead, she spent her time getting stronger. She had a goal. She was to be the strongest female shinobi ever known.  
  
Sasuke stared at her, his eyes filled with spite and hate. "Shut up. You're too noisy. Don't bother me if it's not important." With that, he had walked away from her, and he didn't even look back. She just stood there, dumbfounded, hurt, unbelieving. It was then that she realized why every girl dreamt of him at night.  
  
For the first time ever, she had cried over a guy.  
  
**End Flashback**  
  
Miharu had always remembered that time. They were twelve then. Exactly eight years ago it had occurred. She would never...could never...forget it. It was the first time she had ever met him, and the first time she had ever liked anyone. Many people had told her she was a beautiful girl...she could have anyone at her will. Yet Miharu kept training. She never cared what anyone thought. She was independent...a free soul. She belonged to nobody, and it was to stay that way.  
  
Yet, after eight years of traveling with him and Neji, the tingling feeling had never gone away. She had shoved it to the very back of her mind, ignored it completely, since the day they had first met. She would never let him know. Because he had caused her fear of rejection.  
  
She had always believed she would live alone. Becoming the strongest female shinobi became her goal. She existed to protect others who could not protect themselves. She had been denied of both protection and love as a child. That was why now, as an adult, she basked in the attention she recieved. This was the reason she had felt jealous of Kisa's presence. She would deny her once more. This she couldn't stand. She had to get rid of her. It was selfish, she knew. Yet still...  
  
But now, Sasuke kissed her forehead carefully and stared into her eyes. He ran his hand along her cheek softly and slowly, treating her as though she was delicate glass. He said that he loved her and no one else.  
  
Now she looked on him, sleeping soundly on the lush grass off to the side of the dirt road they had been travelling along that same morning. His eyes were shut. His face was calm. He was, in every aspect, in every essence, beautiful. How she yearned for his love. But she had received it. She had received the one thing in her life that she had wanted more than anything else. Love.  
  
She lay down beside him, her head cradled in his arms. She smelt the sweetness of him. She ran her hand along his arm softly, watched him smile in his sleep, to make sure she wasn't dreaming. But it couldn't be a dream. She had never dreamt something so good before.  
  
He was dreaming of her. He mumbled her name in his sleep. She, too, would dream of him. Of his love, of his affection, of his hugs and kisses.  
  
She loved every part of him. He loved every part of her. They would be together forever.  
  
**Daisuki desu...zutto...**  
  
Love is sweet and should be cherished. Placing a kiss atop his forehead, on his cheek, she swooned with joy. He was hers. He didn't hate her at all.  
  
She went to sleep dreaming of him. Dreaming sweet dreams of him.  
  
He went to sleep dreaming of her. Dreaming sweet dreams of her.  
  
How does love grow?  
  
A/N: Ok, short and sweet. It was so hard for me to drag this chapter out. There was nothing too interesting in it. I didn't really want to put stuff like a whole bunch of passionate make out scenes or anything, because honestly, I think that's sick. If that's what you guys wanted, really, I'm sorry. But I can't do it. This chapter is shorter than the others, and I'm sorry, but are romance scenes really hard to write! This took me the longest to write! Oh well. Please keep on reviewing! I thank you for all the reviews you've given me! They actually encourage me to write more! Thanks, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Ja ne~! 


	7. Chapter 7 All Alone With You: part two

Love and Death Disclaimer: I still don't own Naruto...still wishing...  
  
A/N: I don't really have any ideas for this chapter. I came up with a few at school with my friend lisa, but that's about it. This chapter might seem a little pointless, I'm not sure. I hope not. Anyway, this is Kisa and Neji by themselves, and wow, is it weird. (Well, any relationship concerning Neji is bound to be weird so...) Oh well...I guess I'll just have to stick to action/adventure by itself next time! **There's an Inner Neji too! Yeah!**  
  
Chapter 7  
  
All Alone with You: Part Two  
  
"N-Neji-san?" Kisa looked at him nervously, unsure of what to say.  
  
"What do you want?" He asked her in monotone, as if he didn't really care about what she had to say, no matter what it was.  
  
"Nothing..."  
  
Now Neji was really getting pissed. Why couldn't she have just stayed with Sasuke and Miharu, so that he could go ahead by himself? Silence was much better than this... "Don't call my name if you don't need anything." He told her harshly.  
  
She inwardly flinched, and kept her silence for about five minutes more. But she had to know...she just had to!  
  
"Neji-san..." She tried once again.  
  
"Now what do you want?" He asked her irritably, continuing onward at a faster pace than before, more or less hoping that she would get lost.  
  
"I...I was just wondering...why is it that..."  
  
"Well? Hurry up and tell me!" He was getting more irritated by the second.  
  
"Why is it that you stood up for me...back...back there?" She asked, looking down at her feet. 'This is embarrassing...' she thought to herself.  
  
Neji stopped suddenly, his back still toward her. His voice became less harsh, softened, almost, as he spoke to her. "It's not that I stood up for you." He began. How was he supposed to explain his actions? Even he didn't know why he had done it! Slowly, carefully choosing his words, he continued. "It's just that...I hate Miharu."  
  
Kisa blinked at his answer, looking up quickly only to see that his back still faced her. Looking back down at her feet, she sighed. "Oh..."  
  
Neji sensed her disappointment? What did she expect him to say? That he was madly in love with her? As if! [[Inner Neji]] Well...actually, she is kinda cute I guess...AHHH! What the hell am I saying??? [[Inner Neji End]]  
  
He began again, clearing his throat as he spoke. "Well...I guess it's not only that. You could say that it is more Miharu's fault than yours. What I said back there was true. She really had no right to yell at you like that. She is a qualified Jounin, one of the strongest I know. She should know, better than anybody, than to walk off in her own thoughts no matter what. If she had been obeying the rules, then she wouldn't have walked away on her own. She would have realized that you were hurt, and would have turned back to help. As it is, Miharu isn't exactly the smartest person I know...even if she is one of the strongest.  
  
"Anyway, she's a qualified shinobi, you're not. Therefore, it is not your fault that she almost died. It's hers...even though if she had, it would have been like a blessing to me..."  
  
Kisa blushed slightly, and decided to take her chances. She would ask another question. "Neji-san..." she began, not sure if she should ask or not. Then she remembered what he had said.  
  
*****"Don't call my name if you don't need anything."******  
  
She didn't want to bother him for no reason, and she had already called his name. She took a deep breath and continued. "Why...why is it that you hate Miharu-san so much?" she asked nervously.  
  
He turned around and faced her, for the first time in the past hour, although she didn't notice, seeing as though her attention was focussed solely on her not-too-interesting feet. He considered her question carefully.  
  
"You should know this by now."  
  
Kisa looked up quickly, to see him sizing her up. It made her rather uncomfortable, but she decided to ignore it for the time being. "Demo! I really, really don't!" she protested weakly. Neji sighed.  
  
"It's not that I hate her, really. It's just that she pisses the hell out of me."  
  
"I see..."  
  
Neji turned to resume his walk, only to have his name called once again. For the first time in his life, he felt as though he shared the same feelings with Miharu. He could have strangled Kisa in that moment.  
  
"WHAT NOW???" He almost screamed. However, he managed to keep his composure.  
  
"Arigatou." Kisa said shyly. Not looking up, she began to walk forward.  
  
Neji shook his head in exasperation. 'Women.' He thought. 'Why are they always so infuriating? And emotional! It really starts to get on your nerves after a while!' He, too, resumed his walk. He would ponder the minds of women later. After all, lately he'd seemed to have more and more free time.  
  
**Two hours later**  
  
THUMP!  
  
Neji turned quickly, only to see Kisa lying in a huge heap on the rough dirt floor. "Humph! Did you fall again?" he asked her snidely. He was about to snicker, but caught himself on time. 'Was I really about to do something that childish?' he wondered to himself.  
  
Kisa sat up slowly. She felt like screaming. 'Curse him!' she thought ferociously. 'How dare he talk to me like I'm inferior!' "I'm FINE" she said, stressing the last word.  
  
"Oh, really? If you were fine, I'd think we'd still be walking right now."  
  
'DAMN HIM!!!' "ALRIGHT! I don't think I can go any farther. I'm tired..."  
  
He raised an eyebrow. "And...?" he prodded.  
  
"Dammit...and hungry..." She looked down, embarrassed. 'Why does he look through people like that? I feel so violated!' Suddenly she heard a whooshing sound. Looking up, she saw Neji less than an inch away from her face. She screamed and jumped backward, banging into a tree.  
  
"HOW THE HELL DO YOU MOVE SO FAST?" she screamed at him, rubbing her head in pain. It was then that she realized that he was holding a blanket.  
  
"If you're so tired...why don't you sleep?" Unexpectedly, (and for the first time in this fic), he smiled at her. Truly smiled.  
  
First Person Narrative ( Hiragi Kisa  
  
In that very moment, my heart skipped a beat. I was in love.  
  
End Narrative  
  
She took the blanket, blushing furiously the whole time, and whispered "Arigatou" softly. Lying down, she smiled shyly before falling into a deep sleep.  
  
*  
  
Kisa woke up a few hours later. She realized that it was dark. Looking over to her left, she saw a huge fire. And beside it was Neji. "What's he doing?" she whispered to herself. Then it struck her. He was...  
  
Getting up quickly, she folded the blanket and shuffled over to him on her knees. "Domo..." she thanked him for the thousandth time that day. She put it carefully down beside him, and took a seat on the other side of it. She stared into the fire dreamily.  
  
He looked over at her. Then he handed her a bowl of instant ramen. (Don't ask me where he got the materials from) "Here." He said shortly. Picking up his own bowl of ramen, he began to drink. Slowly he put down the bowl. His eyes widened in surprise. "It actually tastes...good!" He said enthusiastically.  
  
Kisa sweatdropped. She looked at him as if he had lost his mind. "What?" he asked her, honestly not knowing why she gave him the look she did. "I've never cooked before in my life. It takes away time from my training."  
  
'Instant ramen hardly counts as cooking, but oh well.' She thought to herself. Looking at him in that same way still, Kisa asked, "Is training all you ever think about, Neji-san?"  
  
Neji stared into the star-filled sky. His blank eyes reflected the moonlight. "Actually..." he began.  
  
". . ."  
  
"It's not." He finished softly. Bringing his gaze so it landed on her, he saw the same look in her eyes. "What?" he asked again." When the look didn't change, he began to pout. "Fine, be that way."  
  
Getting up, he headed to the side of the road. "Neji-san!" Kisa called after him.  
  
"Leave me alone. I'm going to bed." And he did just that.  
  
*  
  
Waking up the next morning, Neji turned on his side, only to see Kisa's face closer than an inch away from his own. He head was propped up on her hand, a slight blush had crept over her nose, and her eyes were rather droopy. Jumping up, he yelled "WHAT THE HELL?" Gathering himself, he stated angrily, "Never do that again!"  
  
"Oh, shut up." She said wearily.  
  
"NANI???" Turning his back, he stomped away. 'She's really pissing me off!' he thought to himself. Walking to where the fire was the previous night, he proceeded to start another one. [[Inner Neji]] I know! I'll cook something! Because I cook so damn good! MWAHAHAHAH! [[Inner Neji End]]  
  
Walking over to where Kisa still lay, two bowls of soup in his hands, Neji prodded her with his foot. "Wake up." He commanded. Still holding her bowl of instant ramen, Neji slowly drank his own. 'It's as good as ever!' he thought, happy to discover another new talent.  
  
Kisa still hadn't woken up, or so he thought. Prodding her even harder with his foot, he yelled, "Wake up!" When she still didn't make any effort to move, he frowned. "Is my cooking really that bad to you?" She still didn't move. "Fine!" Squatting down, he drank down her ramen quickly. "Hah!"  
  
"I'm sick, you baka yaro." She stated weakly.  
  
"Oh...oops."  
  
She rolled her eyes at him, but inwardly, she grinned. He was really beginning to open up. She was happy to have met his inner self. Once you got to know him, he really wasn't that bad of a guy. "It's ok, I guess. But you owe me a bowl of ramen."  
  
"I'm broke. I'll just take care of your fever instead." He told her, not embarrassed in the least. Walking to wear his bag lay, he took out a cloth and a canteen. Folding the cloth, he wet it with the cool water. Walking back over to her, he flipped her so that she now lay on her back. Gently he placed the wet cloth on her heated forehead. "If you just stay here and sleep, you should feel better. When you wake up, the very last bowl of instant ramen will be waiting for you." He grinned.  
  
"Ohhh...now don't I feel special." She answered sarcastically, but did as he said.  
  
*  
  
Waking up a few hours later, she found that what Neji-san had said would happen had indeed. Her fever had dropped drastically. Turning on her stomach, she saw that he had indeed prepared the last bowl of ramen for her. "At least he knows how to treat a sick person..." She said softly.  
  
"I heard that." Came his voice from beside her. Had he been there the whole time?  
  
"W-were you watching me sleep?" she asked him, blushing. This time, not from the fever.  
  
"So what if I was?" He asked her, grinning mischievously.  
  
'Oh no...' she thought. Drinking her ramen, she tried to forget what he had just said. Looking up from her bowl, though, she saw that he was still grinning at her. "Oh, stop that, you idiot." She told him. Getting up, she began packing away everything in the small clearing that they would be carrying with them.  
  
"What are you doing?" Neji asked her, getting up also. He walked over to where she was. As she walked past him, he grabbed one of her wrists, forcing her to stop.  
  
"I'm cleaning this place up. What do you think?" She scoffed at his stupidity.  
  
"Yeah, I know THAT. But why?"  
  
"We don't have time to waste, Neji-san. You're on an assignment, remember?" She smiled at him.  
  
Neji looked into her soft blue eyes. 'I never thought I'd ever do this.' He thought to himself. Leaning over her, he kissed her quickly and softly. "Arigatou."  
  
End of Chapter 7!  
  
A/N: There you have it! Not much romance, but too bad! Hahahah! It's my story! Anyway, I'm starting to really love Neji's character, even though he hates me...*sigh* oh well. Please review! The next chapter will be far more interesting! I promise! Ja ne! 


	8. Chapter 8 Final Hours Together

Love and Death Disclaimer: Still don't own Naruto...  
  
A/N: Minna-san, Konnichiwa! This chapter is divided up into Neji/Kisa and Miharu/Sasuke travelling toward the Village of the Hidden Mist in the final day. So far, the days have gone as follows:  
  
First day: From beginning of story to arrival of Konoha Village  
  
Second day: From their arrival at Konoha Village to receiving their assignment.  
  
Third day: From leaving Konoha village to splitting up. *It's night when they split up.*  
  
Fourth day: From splitting up to the end of the last chapter.  
  
I'm not sure if this really coincides with the story all that well, but that is how it was originally planned. It only takes them five days to return Kisa (In chapter 6, I think, Sasuke says he's staying with Miharu for three days.) therefore, this chapter takes place three days after the last chapter. If you guys want me to put in a chapter to be like a interval, or whatever, let me know, and I'll do that. But anyway, now they are heading toward the village. Therefore, half of this chapter will be Neji and Kisa heading toward the village, and the other half will be Miharu and Sasuke. Then, in the final part, they will all meet back up again. So yeah, now that that's done, please enjoy! Chapter 8  
  
Final Hours Together  
  
~*~ Miharu and Sasuke ~*~  
  
"Ne, Sasuke-kun...it's been so long since we've last seen Neji. Do you think he's alright?" Miharu asked Sasuke uncertainly, debating whether or not she wanted to hear his answer. She had a pretty good feeling that Neji was all right, but she needed assurance from someone else. Someone she could trust.  
  
Sasuke flinched unwillingly as he heard his rival's name. Although they were team members, there still wasn't a very high level of trust between the two. And they would always be rivals...as long as they both had the ability of doujutsu, their advanced bloodlines would be their only reason to compete.  
  
Just hearing her say Neji's name was enough to make him angry. Why think about that asshole when they had this whole time to themselves? Sasuke made sure that Miharu couldn't read his emotions, however. He definitely didn't want her upset of some stupid rivalry she already knew existed. "You know Neji." He answered. "Of course he's ok. Don't worry."  
  
Miharu was happy. She did know Neji. She knew he wouldn't allow himself to die, and she knew it very well. But she was glad that Sasuke had also acknowledged this. It made her feel more secure. "Uh huh. You're probably right. Sorry I asked such a stupid question." She looked up quickly and flashed a strained smile, then directed her gaze toward the trees which lined the road.  
  
Sasuke grinned slightly. Miharu was a very weird person indeed. First you think you know everything about her. She's a loudmouth, almost as bad as the dobe...ahem...Hokage, who lives to piss people off. She's not afraid to speak her mind, and will do whatever she pleases, hardly ever thinking about the consequences, unless she's in battle. Then, all of a sudden, she becomes a shy, sensitive, caring person who doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. Talk about a complex personality!  
  
Sasuke, much like Neji (don't let him hear you say that, though. Sasuke( Too late...), was having a hard time figuring out the minds of women.  
  
Meanwhile, Miharu, back to her old, obnoxious personality, wanted to know when they would be arriving at the stupid village. She began to complain to her man. "SASUKE-KUN!!! This is becoming extremely tiring! How much longer do we have to walk? I'm going to run out of energy soon..." she seemed to deflate as she trailed off, practically dropping onto the floor.  
  
By the time Sasuke had turned around, Miharu was asleep. (Sasuke : **Sweatdrop**)  
  
~*~ Neji and Kisa ~*~  
  
Neji and Kisa walked side by side through the forest. Neji's hands were behind his head, and he seemed content. Kisa's, on the other hand, were clasped in front of her, and her head was bent down. Clearly she had gone back to her I'm-so-innocent personality.  
  
Neji looked at her curiously. "You know what I've just realized?" he asked her, knowing that after he said this it would pretty well change everything that had happened in the past three days.  
  
Kisa was intrigued. Neji's troubled eyes contrasted sharply with the calm look on his face. However, Kisa had learned that if there was one feature about a person that you should trust the most, it was their eyes. "What is it?" She asked softly.  
  
"Well..." His eyes focussed on the clear blue sky, birds swimming in its brightness. "It's just that...as you are now, you're...well...boring. Just boring." He looked over at her quickly, the same look in his eyes, and saw that what he had said had hurt her. He hadn't wanted to say it, but they would be going different ways in little over half a day, and she had to know the truth.  
  
"If I'm to be truthful with you, then that is what I have to say. I really can't believe I'm going to say this, but I liked you more when you were outspoken and fun. Quiet and uncertain is not what I want." He had surprised himself saying this, considering that he had been telling himself his whole life that that was exactly what he did want.  
  
"That's the thing with..." He gulped. It was going to kill him to say this. For the first time in his life...he was going to die from words... "well, with Miharu."  
  
Kisa looked at him uncertainly. What the hell was wrong with this guy? Was it really that hard to make up your mind? First he had said that he didn't like Miharu at all, and now he was comparing them? Couldn't he just make up his mind and be over with it. Kisa actually felt sympathy directed to her distant bodyguard. What it must have been like to travel with this guy for eight years. Kisa had only been with him for five days, and already she felt like killing him. "Nani?" she asked him calmly.  
  
"Ok, I know this is going to sound very weird. And I know I just told you that Miharu pisses me off. But there is something I've always like about her. The weird thing is, that's the very same thing about her that pisses me off...  
  
"She is who she wants to be."  
  
Kisa's eyes widened further (if that's even possible) and her mouth gaped silently. What?  
  
"Miharu doesn't pretend around others. She doesn't soften the words that she says, to suit other's needs. She says what she wants, how she wants. She's true to herself...to others. And she doesn't care what others think of her, no matter who they are.  
  
"Kisa...you need to learn how to do this. You're always hiding your true self from others, because you're afraid of what they'll think of you. But you shouldn't be. Once again, take Miharu for example. Because she is who she is, almost, ALMOST, everyone likes her. The village, for sure, loves that in her. That's all I wanted to tell you, Kisa." Neji continued onward, ignoring the questioning stare Kisa was giving him.  
  
~*~ Miharu and Sasuke ~*~  
  
Miharu was gently shaken awake by Sasuke. She cracked one eye open, saw him, and smiled. "Ohayo, Sasuke-kun." Reaching up, she held him in her arms.  
  
Bending low, so that she lay once more on the ground, while still in her arms, Sasuke leant over so that his lips were only an inch from her ear. Slowly, softly, quietly, he whispered into her ear. "Act normal. There is a group of ninja hiding in those trees of to your left. Don't let them realize that we know they are there." Turning her head slightly, she brushed her lips against his. Now she whispered in his ear.  
  
"Wakatta."  
  
Getting into a sitting position, with the help of Sasuke who was still in her grasp, she yawned widely. "AHHH! That was a really good nap! I needed that. Now I feel refreshed!" Embracing Sasuke tightly, she finally let go. Getting up hesitantly, she began to stretch, winking at him as she did so. Sasuke caught her signal and understood what it meant.  
  
"Ne, Sasuke-kun..." She began, grinning.  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"You still owe me that fight."  
  
Getting up also, he faced her. She had her back turned to where the three ninja lay in wait; Sasuke stood directly opposite her. "You first." She taunted.  
  
His eyes turned their signature red. No way was he going to fight without his Sharingan. "Prepare yourself!" He called out to her. Doing the hand seals, he called out, "Fuuton Renkudan!" (Wind Element: Steroid Blanks) Large, chakra infused balls of wind escaped from his mouth and raced to where Miharu was standing. Grinning widely, she stood there still.  
  
--------------------------------------C-c-c-c-c-c-craaaaaaaack-------------- ------------------  
  
The tree in which the three hidden ninja had been just a few seconds ago cracked at the base and toppled into the pathway. Miharu was nowhere to be seen. The ninja had finally revealed themselves. However, they were ninja from the Sand. (I'm too lazy to write outfits today. But anyway, what they're wearing looks much like what Gaara and Temari wear) All three of them landed in front of Sasuke, grinning.  
  
"So, you knew we were there all along, did you?" asked the tallest man there. "Where's the girl? We want the vile!" He raced toward Sasuke while saying this, doing hand seals as he ran. "Suna Shurikan!" (Sand Shuriken) He yelled. Large blades, made entirely of sand, flew toward Sasuke. He didn't move.  
  
The force of them hitting his body was intense. He crashed into the ground and with a 'POOF' a log lay in his place. He had used Kawarimi no Jutsu.  
  
"Shit!" The man hissed under his breath. He began the hand seals for-  
  
"No time for that." Came the whisper in his ear. A Kunai suspended in mid air pressed itself against his throat. Before the Sand ninja had time to draw breath, the kunai had pierced his throat. He lay bleeding on the ground.  
  
"He's using genjutsu! That damn kid!" another Sand ninja yelled over to his partner. "Two can play that game." He muttered to himself. He drew out a scroll.  
  
Before he had time to open it, he was kicked into mid air. A figure followed him as the Sand sped upward. For a moment he seemed to hang in the sky. Looking across from him, he saw black, ruthless eyes. "It's not me." He said spitefully. Pointing downward he said, "It's her."  
  
The Sand ninja was stupid enough to look down. As he did this, Sasuke came at him with a series of punches and kicks, beginning with a punch in his gut, and ending with a powerful leg sweep which sent the Sand hurtling downward, to his death. Dropping down also, Sasuke decided that he would leave the last one to his companion.  
  
Miharu grinned evilly. Two down, one to go...and by the looks of it, this last one was hers. The Sand didn't see her grin. All he saw was the black-haired boy leaning up against a tree, carelessly. "That bastard..." He thought to himself, gritting his teeth angrily. Creeping up behind the man, she had an idea that would blow him away. Literally.  
  
Doing the hand seals, she leant over and whispered softly into his ear, "There was this woman I killed a couple of days ago. She used a really cool attack. Here, I'll show you...Kaze no Yaiba!" (Wind Blade) Ruthlessly, the blade of wind sliced through the body of the man before her. Using her own skill, she transported herself to where Sasuke stood. Releasing her chakra, she appeared in front of him, smiling.  
  
Ruffling her hair, he grinned. "That's my girl!" he whispered to her.  
  
She glared at him, hissing back, "I'm not a girl! I'm a woman now! Why won't anyone even bother to get it straight?" Laughing, he hugged her quickly and began to walk.  
  
A few hours later...  
  
Miharu stepped through the entrance leading into the Village of the Hidden Mist. She hadn't been here for a while. However, what made her happier was that she would finally see Neji again. What made her happier than that was that they would finally be getting rid of Kisa.  
  
Suddenly, a voice in her ear made her scream and jump. "WHAT THE HELL?" She screamed. "NEJI!! DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN!"  
  
Neji, on the other hand grinned. He was right. Miharu's personality both made him happy and pissed him off at the same time. Who would have ever thought that possible?  
  
Sasuke watched the exchange between the two with cold eyes. What the hell was Neji doing? Hadn't he just practically said that he hated her? Kisa looked from Sasuke to both Neji and Miharu. She had a feeling that after she left, things would become chaotic between the three.  
  
Neji cleared some space between Miharu and himself. Miharu, however, decided that now was the time to pull her charm. She ran toward him with outstretched arms, in slow motion. Stars and hearts danced around her. (Classic anime style!) "Neji...!" she called as she ran. Just as she was about to grab onto him, he sidestepped, sending her crashing... .  
  
.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
Into a tree...  
  
End of Chapter 8!  
  
A/N: ok, this chapter ended up really crappy but it's late and I'm really tired. Plus, I've got school tomorrow! And a test I forgot to study for! SHIT!!!! Oh well...anyway, sorry about the horrible ending and everything. I'll make it up to you in the next chapter, where you find out why Kisa's being chased! Yeah! Go me! Anyway, please review! Ja ne! 


	9. Chapter 9 An Explanation

Love and Death Disclaimer: People my age do not own anime shows or characters...  
  
A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. I've been swamped with homework for the past few days, and yesterday I was out until late. But I'm putting up this chapter and chapter 10 because I have THE BEST idea for it. Can I hear an "emotionally charged?" Anyway, this chapter may be kind of boring, but it'll be made up for in the next one. Yokusoku yo.  
  
P.S-I learned a couple of really handy Japanese words, so I'll be using them a lot in this chapter. Their definitions will be in brackets, ok? That's all! Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 9- An Explanation  
  
"Ite-e!" Miharu cried out in pain, rubbing her head frantically. Looking up, she glared at Neji, who was, of course, grinning at her. "Argh! Omae wa honto ne BAKA KA!!!" (You stupid asshole!) She screamed at him as she charged. "Yurusanai!" (I won't forgive you!) Drawing out a kunai, she through it at his head. He grabbed it inches away from his face, and threw it aside.  
  
Sudden laughter stopped Miharu in her tracks. She turned toward its origin only to see Kisa clutching her side and practically dying with laughter. She was turning red and was starting to cry. Miharu turned on her next.  
  
"Just who the hell are you laughing at?" She demanded. When Kisa only began to laugh harder, Miharu drew out another kunai. Throwing it at her assignment, knowing full well the girl wouldn't be able to dodge it, she yelled "Shin'ne!" (Die!) Only when it had left her hands did she realize that if it hit the target, she would be responsible for the death of the person she was supposed to be protecting.  
  
"Kuso..." She cursed under her breath. Then, she began to laugh. Both Neji and Sasuke turned from the still laughing Kisa, who apparently had not noticed that she was about to die, to the now laughing Miharu, who could be stripped of her title as Jounin if Kisa were to die at her hands.  
  
Sasuke shuddered. 'They've both gone crazy.' He thought. Racing over to where Kisa stood, this thought still in his mind, he planted himself in between her and Miharu's kunai. He grabbed it in his hand the same way Neji had, and pocketed it. Kisa, still laughing behind him, managed to choke out a small "A-arigatou."  
  
Miharu stopped laughing suddenly and glared at Sasuke. "Move! I'm going to kill her!" Quickly doing the hand seals, she yelled "Katon Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" The huge blast of fire streamed straight toward where Sasuke and Kisa both stood, Sasuke looking shocked, and Kisa still laughing. Neji just watched them all with mild interest.  
  
Sasuke did the hand seals to perform a shield around both him and Kisa. After the attack wore off, he appeared behind her with a **poof! **  
  
"Dame da...gomen ne, Miharu-chan..." He whispered into her ear as he knocked her unconscious. Looking down at her limp figure, he turned back to face Neji. Shaking his head in disbelief, he said "She went completely crazy...she snapped. I wonder why?"  
  
Neji, too, had wondered why she had attacked Kisa in such a fashion. It just wasn't like her. Sure, Miharu was known to be rash and outspoken, and at times even rude...but she had never done something like this before. So...why then?  
  
Looking at Kisa, who was still laughing, [[Inner Neji]] what an idiot! It's not even funny anymore! Mou...Shojo wa shitsukoi. [[Inner Neji End]] (Jeez, she's being a pain in the ass) "Urusai!" He spat at her, causing her to stop almost immediately. Instead, she looked at him uncertainly.  
  
Sasuke bent down to pick up Miharu. Cradling her once more in his arms, he looked over at Neji. "We should be heading on. Her place is supposed to be less than an hour away. Ikimashou." (Let's go)  
  
*  
  
Miharu awoke to find herself laying on a bamboo mat. She had a horrible headache. Bringing her hand to her forehead, she realized that someone had placed a cold cloth on it. Sighing loudly, she looked around her.  
  
"Ah, Miharu-san, you're awake." Came the frightened voice of Kisa from her left. Getting up slowly, she held the cold cloth to her forehead and looked at her assignment.  
  
"Why are you so afraid?" She asked her tiredly. She couldn't even remember what had happened before she had awoken. Looking around, she saw both Sasuke and Neji sitting in the corner. "Is someone going to answer me?" She asked, getting angry.  
  
Kisa squeaked in fright at the tone of her voice. Miharu's head whipped around in her direction again. "What is it?" She demanded.  
  
Sasuke's voice cut in from the shadows in which he sat. "Tell her then, Kisa. Who better to do it than you?" For some reason, he sounded rather bitter. Miharu wondered what had happened before she had wound up here.  
  
"A-ano...Miharu-san...you tried to kill..." she cut off and looked away.  
  
"Dare? Chikusho, dare!?" (Who? Dammit, who!?) She demanded even louder. She had never failed to kill an opponent before. Who could it have been?  
  
"...me."  
  
Silence hung in the air. "Y-you...?" she asked, uncertain of what she had heard. "Usotsuki! (Liar!) I wouldn't...couldn't have! You're our assignment! I would never do anything so stupid!" She exclaimed. The thought of her trying to kill the girl was frightening her. It couldn't have been her! She had thought of it, but she had never really meant any of what she had thought.  
  
Neji spoke up. "It was you. None of us know why. It is unlike you. And the fact that you can't remember any of what happened makes it even more confusing. Maybe then it wasn't even by your will it was happening."  
  
Sasuke looked at Neji, eyebrows raised. "Are you saying that dareka (Someone) may have used Shintenshin no Jutsu?" (Mind Body Switch Skill)  
  
"Heh. That's exactly what I'm saying. But what I want to know it, when did it take place? One minute she was herself, and the next she was trying to kill Kisa."  
  
Miharu nodded her head slowly, ignoring the pounding pain in her temple. "Naruhodou..." (I see) Looking straight at Kisa, she continued. "Then, I guess it's good that we've finally returned her to her home." She said.  
  
"Maybe. But the thing is...is this really her home?" Sasuke asked, getting startled glances from both Miharu and Kisa. Neji knew where he was going. "If someone wants you this bad, then there's no way that you could live in one place. I don't see your parents, either. If they were killed, it must have been for a reason.  
  
"Naruto Hokage-sama didn't know why you were being chased. You told him you didn't know either, didn't you, Kisa? But...you really do. So now, I think it's time you tell us why we've been risking both our lives and the separation of this group because of you. You owe us that much."  
  
Kisa nodded slowly. Looking up at them all, tears shining brightly in her eyes, she said to them, "you're all right. I'm a liar. I didn't want anyone to know...because I didn't trust anyone. But I've caused you so much trouble...I've come to believe that this is the only way that I can repay you. What you said made me realize...you've been risking your lives and you don't even know why...so...I'll tell you."  
  
Neji and Sasuke moved forward as she began to whisper to them the reason that many ninja were after her.  
  
"In my family, there has been a great secret, one passed down through many generations, until it found itself under the possession of my parents. You see, this vial contains a sacred liquid...one which can give any one human immortality."  
  
"So ka...so this vial...this is why everyone is after you, is it?" Miharu asked, intrigued by her story.  
  
"Hai. You see, my parents told me, when giving me this, that many ninja would be after it. It seems as though for a ninja, this vile could be necessary for anything that could happen to them."  
  
Sasuke spoke up. "As a ninja, death is almost always a factor. To have immortality, you would be able to do whatever it is you wish without having to worry about life-threatening consequences."  
  
Neji nodded his head slowly. "With this in their system, Shinobi from the different countries could try to overthrow others...and none would have to fear dying..."  
  
Miharu listened and didn't speak. So this was why the young girl was entrusted to them for protection...she held with her the one thing that ANYONE would want to have.  
  
Kisa nodded and continued. "My parents also had another vial with them that only I knew, or rather, I thought that only I knew, they had. Theirs was much stronger than the one that I carried with me. Because we held such dangerous items, we were forced to move about the country regularly. We couldn't allow ourselves to stay in one place for too long of a time, because the enemy might have been able to reach us. Although we were trained for combat, we weren't ninja ourselves. This being said, you probably realize why I was assigned to you.  
  
"As it turns out, we had accidentally stayed in one certain place, the Village of the Hidden Rain, for too long. That's probably why the rain ninja attacked you when they heard word that you were to protect me.  
  
"You see, somehow word had reached them that my family and I held the 'Vial of Immortality', as it is called. They tracked us down one night. It was late, and we were off guard. I was only fifteen. It was terrible. The came for my mother first, and she was killed instantly. However, they hadn't realized that my parents only held one of the vials. Therefore, they did not take notice that I was hidden in a corner.  
  
"They went after my father next." Kisa began to cry softly, yet she continued speaking. Miharu, to the surprise of everyone, including herself, laid a comforting hand on Kisa's back. "He backed up to where I was hidden, and while they weren't looking, told me to escape through the back of our house. Of course, I didn't want to leave. I told him I wouldn't. But the way he looked at me....  
  
"I did end up leaving, realizing that my father must already have died. That would mean that the ninjas must have gotten the vial that he held. But that also meant that they had realized that he only had one. They would be after me...my family's only offspring.  
  
"For the last three years I've been able to keep low...but I slipped up about a month ago. Once again I forgot to leave a village I had been staying in. I had gone out to get something...and when I came back...." Kisa sobbed harder, hiding her face in her hands. "When I came back...my house was on fire. They had thought that I was in there...and had burnt the place down in hopes to kill me and get my vial. Realizing that...t-that...that I had b-been there t-too long....I left immediately.  
  
"I a-arrived in your village a month ago. I l-learned that three of the strongest Shinobi in the entire country were stationed here. I went to the Hokage for help...f-for protection. I...I told him that men were after me, a-and I wasn't aware of the reason why. He believed me...he's such a kind man. H-he told me to wait here until you th-three got back. When I t-told him I needed to get to the Village of the H-hidden Mist, he assured me that it w-was on your way. I waited.  
  
"Now I'm with y-you. You've brought me here safely. Arigatou gozaimasu!" She bowed her head, tears dropping onto the floor. Miharu's heart went out to the girl. She knew what it was like to be without a family. She hugged Kisa tightly, placing her chin on the girl's head.  
  
"Do you want to come with us, Kisa?" She asked. Kisa lifted her head, eyes wide.  
  
"N-no! I wouldn't want to trouble you. I'm fine. I realize now how much it means for me to be more careful. I'll be fine on my own. You have all helped me so much already!" She protested.  
  
"Are you sure?" came Neji's smooth voice. Kisa turned toward him and blushed slightly.  
  
"I'm positive, Neji-san. Thank you so much for everything, though...I am forever grateful..."  
  
*  
  
Neji, Sasuke, and Miharu left after spending another hour with Kisa. Miharu had apologized thoroughly for everything she had done to Kisa. Yet still, guilt consumed her. She had had no reason to take out her anger on the girl. She had had no idea what Kisa had gone through!  
  
Sasuke sensed the guilt, and looked sidelong at Miharu's delicate features. Furrowing his brow, he said to her, "It's not like you knew or anything, Miharu. It's not your fault. Stop blaming it on yourself."  
  
Neji watched as Miharu lifted her head to nod thank you. Something inside of him twinged. 'Ah, shit...it couldn't be...? Iie...masaka..." (no...impossible). He looked straight ahead and continued walking. "Well, we're supposed to meet the rest of the Jounin at some place called..."  
  
Miharu looked at him pleadingly. "Neji...Sasuke...I know this mission is the most important that we're ever going to have in our lives...demo..."  
  
"Nani?" asked Sasuke, stopping.  
  
"It's just that...I don't think I can start the mission just yet. Maybe you two should go on without me..." she looked down sadly, knowing what she said was for the best.  
  
"That's not going to work, Miharu." Neji informed her. "You even had said earlier. A team cannot operate with less than three people. We'll come with you. We can leave the village for a while, I guess." He turned his gaze to Sasuke. "But we have to be back in two days. Wakarimasu-ka?"  
  
Sasuke nodded curtly, Miharu slowly. "Wakatta." They both replied.  
  
End of Chapter 9!  
  
A/N: Anyway, I wasn't really that sure what Kisa should be pursued for, so I just made it like this. I'm pretty sure it's not the best thing ever but, oh well. Anyway, I might not be able to get the 10th chapter up today, but if I don't, sorry from now. High emotions in the next one though!  
  
Also, once again sorry that it took me so long to update! I hope you'll still review! Thnx! Ja ne~! 


	10. Chapter 10 His and Her Circumstances

Love and Death Disclaimer: I envy you, Masashi Kishimoto-san...  
  
A/N: Hey! Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up! I was kinda slacking off...eheheh...because of the long weekend and everything. Anyway, this chapter was inspired! And, due to a specific review I had, I realized that some of you might also be confused in this area. No, this is not a love triangle. It's kinda throwing you off, cuz I thought that would be fun, but oh well. Anyway, I'm not telling you how the "love" stuff is turning out, but now at least you know it's not a love triangle...although it may seem like that in this chapter. Yosha! Now that that's done, on with the story! (Oh, some of the characters I used in the beginning part, I used the original name from the series, but kinda made them into my own characters, ok?)  
  
Chapter 10-  
  
His and Her Circumstances **no, don't own that either**  
  
Somewhere in the wind country...  
  
A group of four was sprawled in the small, cramped room. None spoke, the still air consumed them. Sudden footsteps broke the silence. A dark figure emerged from a door off to the left of the room. He looked around at them all, smirking slightly.  
  
A deep, raspy voice erupted from the man's throat as he began to speak. "The Jounin from the Konoha village are heading in our direction, it seems. I suppose that Naruto-kun is not such a bad Hokage for their village after all...he's already figured me out. It seems we will have to throw them off."  
  
The girl, once lying in a chair off to the back of the room, now came forward. Her pink hair fell forward, the hat she wore on her head shadowed her eyes. Kneeling before him, looking nowhere but at the ground, she asked him, "Orochimaru-sama, we are willing and ready."  
  
Orochimaru, too, knelt in front of her and placed a hand on her cheek. He began to rub it slowly, looking her in the eye. "So loyal, are you not?" he asked her. She didn't answer, but her eyes had grown wide. Smirking once more, he removed his hand and got up slowly. "This is not a 'we' effort, Tayuya. I need you."  
  
She looked up at him suddenly, revealing bronze coloured eyes. "What do you mean?" She asked him in a hushed tone. Surely she alone would not be sent to do this task.  
  
He turned and walked away from her. "You are both female and skilled in genjutsu. These two qualities qualify you, and only you, to do this favour for me." Facing the girl once more, he folded his arms across his chest, waiting for her to speak. She would not refuse him. If she did...she would pay.  
  
"H-hai, Orochimaru-sama. What is it, exactly, that I am so qualified for?" Finally, she got off her knees and stood, opposite him.  
  
"Sasuke-kun...he is with the Konoha shinobi, on his way to this country. I need you to help create a rift between his team and him. After all, it should be much easier for his to betray those whom he loves the most if he feels that they have betrayed him."  
  
The other three subordinates sat up in their seats immediately. A tall, lanky brown-haired man who much resembled a spider spoke up. "Orochimaru-sama, are you going to..."  
  
"You aren't that stupid after all, Kidoumarou." The man Orochimaru left the room.  
  
To his departing figure, the four shinobi stood and bowed jerkily, as they all murmured, "Hai, Orochimaru-sama."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*  
  
As they walked through the forest, Team 00 was quieter than usual. The rustle of the trees, the whistling of the breeze, and the sound of footsteps were all that could be heard.  
  
The heat of the sun was felt by every creature in the forest, and as the sun descended lower and lower, its heat began to decline also. The fresh smell of the flowers bunched together at the base of every tree wafted delicately through the never-ending wilderness, teasing the senses. It was a day of calm...and peace.  
  
Yet this could not be understood by the minds of the three shinobi who walked down the winding dirt pathway. Minds which were, in the least, wreaking havoc upon the three. Terrible thoughts clashed...catastrophic. Their exterior features were tranquil, and because of this they betrayed their innermost emotions.  
  
Neji stopped suddenly. "Minna...I think it would do us all good if we took a break about now." He didn't wait for the others' reply. Hands tucked behind his head, he sat upon the trunk of a nearby tree, face turned upward, eyes closed. Soon, soft breaths could be heard.  
  
Miharu's face softened. "Heh. Even Neji has to sleep at one time or the other." She yawned unexpectedly, grinning sheepishly at the look that Sasuke gave her. "What the hell are you lookin' at?" She joked. "I think I need to get some sleep too. You should, too, Sasuke. You look like all hell just broke loose." Walking over to a tree, slightly away from the others, she sprawled underneath its shade. Sighing contentedly, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.  
  
Sasuke warily scanned his two comrades. They were right. What they were doing now had nothing to do with any mission of any sort. This was probably as close to a vacation as they were going to get for a while anyway. And there was absolutely no use in him standing guard, anyway. No one would be after them for the next couple of days, anyway. Besides, Orochimaru probably didn't realize they were after him anyway.  
  
Thinking of the ninja, Sasuke clutched his neck. There was no pain...for now. Yet still, Sasuke ran his fingers along his curse seal. Just the thought of Orochimaru made him want to kill somebody. Anybody. He clenched his fists, so hard that he began to bleed. 'I have to get out of here!' he thought to himself. 'Otherwise I don't know what I might do...'  
  
Running quickly, he made a jump for a tree just off to his left. Using the technique Kakashi-sensei had taught Team 07 when they were in the forest, Sasuke gathered his chakra in the balls of his feet. Running along the top of the trees, he thought to himself. Really thought, for the first time in a long while. Thought about everything, from the destruction of his clan because of Itachi, his graduation from to academy, the first time he had met Sakura and Naruto and Kakashi-sensei, his first encounter with Orochimaru in the Death Forest...all the way to the near death of Hyuuga Hinata because of her cousin, his graduation from Genin to Chuunin...joining up with Neji and Miharu to become Team 00...becoming Jounin...and then, finally, the death of his brother, only a while ago, at the mercy of his own hands.  
  
Remembering this, he looked down at his hands, now bleeding. "Humph." Grabbing a roll of bandages from his pack, he wrapped it around both his hands. Finally finishing, he tossed it back into his pouch.  
  
He stopped suddenly, realizing he had been running steadily for little over an hour now. The sun was dipping below the horizon now, and a purplish glow covered the forest. "Kuso..." he swore silently to himself. "I wonder if they've realized that I've gone yet."  
  
Back on the other side of the Forest  
  
Neji and Miharu: ZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZz.......  
  
(sweatdrop -__-*)  
  
Back to Sasuke...  
  
Jumping from the top branch of the tree, Sasuke landed squarely on his feet. He looked around himself. "I guess, I might as well get some sleep while I'm here." He yawned.  
  
Leaning against the trunk of the tree, he slid down slowly until he was sitting upon the rough floor. Closing his eyes, he dropped his head onto his knees and fell asleep.  
  
*****Day 2-Final day of Vacation *****  
  
Miharu woke with a start, brushing away the leaf which had fallen on her face. Stretching, she got up and looked around, only to see that Neji was still asleep, and Sasuke was...Sasuke was...  
  
"Ne..." Miharu said to herself (Nope, she's not crazy), "Where'd Sasuke go off to?" Careful not to wake Neji, she walked down the path a bit more, towards where Sasuke had gone the day before. "Sasuke!" She called out, hands cupped around her mouth to amplify the sound of her voice. "Sasuke! Where are you?"  
  
Dropping her hands to her side, she shrugged her shoulders carelessly. "Oh, whatever. He'll be fine on his own." However, her conscience wouldn't leave her alone.  
  
'Hey! Don't you love him?' it asked her.  
  
"Don't you even dare use that one on me!" She warned it, wagging her finger warningly. "Of course I do, but he's stronger than me!"  
  
'What does that have to do with anything?'  
  
"Exactly! No, wait...forget what I just said! He's a big boy...he can take care of himself now!" Miharu reasoned.  
  
'WHATever!' her conscience waved Miharu's words away.  
  
"Hang on...stop for a second...Why the hell am I even arguing with myself?"  
  
'Who knows?' And with a POOF her conscience disappeared.  
  
(Heh...too irresistible!) Miharu shook her head furiously and walked back to camp.  
  
Neji, now awake, looked at her with little concern. "So, are you going to tell me where you were or not?" He asked her, as he got up and began clearing their things away.  
  
"So I don't have to if I don't want to?" She questioned him innocently. However, it didn't work. He evil-eyed her. Waving her hands in defeat, she laughed nervously. "Wakatta, wakatta yo! I was looking for Sasuke. He must'a gotten lost by himself somehow while we were sleeping last night." 'Oh, yeah, and I was also arguing with myself over whether or not I should go off looking for him.' She added silently to herself.  
  
Neji looked at her strangely, then resumed his clean up. "Him? He wouldn't have gotten lost. He's somewhere in this area, trust me. We can both go and look for him when I'm done with this."  
  
Miharu just stood off to the side, watching Neji watch her. Suddenly, he growled "Well? Are you going to help or just stand there like an idiot?"  
  
"O-of course." Walking over, she began to help him clean. Then, it sunk in. Dropping everything she was carrying, she pointed at him accusingly. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN IDIOT, YOU ASSHOLE? YOU WANT TO START SOME SHIT NOW THAT SASUKE ISN'T HERE TO SAVE YOUR SORRY ASS???"  
  
Neji chuckled softly, and it caught Miharu so off guard that she forgot to push the subject. Soon, she was laughing to. "Well," she started, spirits lifted. "We might as well hurry up so that we can find Sasuke. We have to head back to the village anyway."  
  
Neji nodded, and they did just that.  
  
*  
  
Sasuke awoke somewhere around midday. The sun was at it's peak, and bright light washed over his face. Blinking his eyes rapidly to get them to adjust, he stifled a yawn and stretched. Getting up slowly, he sighed. "Those two have probably already woken up...and realized that I'm not there."  
  
Leaning against the same tree he had fallen asleep under, he wondered whether they were going to come and look for him, or if he should go back to camp. After contemplating for some time, he figured that if they were going to have searched for him, they would have found him by now. "Guess that means I'm going back to camp..."  
  
He was about to jump into the trees when a faint sound reached his eyes. Stopping all movements, he cupped his hand around his ear and listened. Was that someone...crying? Sasuke had seen enough tears to last him a lifetime. However, no matter how cold he could be at times, he decided that he would find out what was going on.  
  
Heading in the direction of the sobs, he stopped suddenly. A young girl was on the ground, crying. She had pink hair...green eyes... "Sakura?" He gasped. "What's wrong?" He walked toward her, on guard the whole time.  
  
'Perfect...' Tayuya thought to herself. 'The girl is bound to find him here soon. When she does, won't she be surprised!' Getting up slowly, she staggered, and Sasuke caught her. Her eyes glinted maliciously under her ragged hair. 'He does think it's Sakura!' she thought giddily. 'Won't Orochimaru-sama be pleased!'  
  
Sasuke let go of the girl and looked at her. Exactly like Sakura. It had to be her. "What happened?" He asked her. The girl didn't answer. Instead, she walked up to Sasuke and grasped him in a tight hold, head resting on her chest, tears falling upon his shirt.  
  
Unconsciously, One of Sasuke's hands rested itself around the girl's tiny waist. "It's ok now." He told her, still a bit nervous. They stood there like that, her arms around his neck, his one arm around her waist.  
  
*  
  
Miharu and Neji stood on a branch of an unusually tall tree. "We don't have the time to waste. You go that way..." Neji pointed straight ahead. "And I'll go to the left. Meet back here," He twirled a kunai in his hand and threw it into the branch of the tree, "in ten minutes. With or without Sasuke."  
  
Miharu nodded. "Ryoukkai!" she said.  
  
"Right." Said Neji. "Go!" Both he and Miharu sped off in their respective directions.  
  
*  
  
Miharu heard sobbing. Stopping suddenly, she veered off her path and towards her right. Seeing two figures in what seemed like a private kind of conversation, she used her chakra to conceal herself, and tried to hide the rest of her chakra so that neither of the two could sense her. She walked forward carefully, not making a sound, and then stopped.  
  
Horror filled every part of her body, and made itself shown upon her face. Slowly, her guise depleted, and she could be seen the naked eye. "S- sasuke...?" She stared at the two in front of her.  
  
Sasuke's head turned toward her slowly, sadness drowning out any other emotion. He looked at her hopelessly, helplessly. He looked at her for as long as she looked at him. Tears welled up in her eyes, and began dripping slowly down her cheeks. And yet still, Sasuke just looked at her.  
  
Taking one step back, then two, then three, she turned her back on him and began to run, the tears flying from her eyes. And yet still, Sasuke just looked.  
  
Miharu's p.o.v  
  
'In that moment, my heart shattered into tiny pieces. See...? They're lying on the floor.'  
  
Sasuke's p.o.v  
  
'I'm drowning in her tears...I feel like I'm going to die...'  
  
Using her strength, she summoned enough chakra to once more conceal herself. She didn't want anyone to see her like this. Running blindly, she managed to trip and fall into the dirt. Not bothering to get up, she crawled over to the nearest tree and began to sob hysterically. She didn't even notice the figure in front of her.  
  
"You really can be so stupid sometimes. Just because I can't see you, it doesn't mean I can't hear you."  
  
Releasing her chakra, Miharu revealed herself. She didn't bother to argue back, and she didn't bother to move over. She just stayed where she was and continued to cry.  
  
Neji walked over to her and bent down, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Yo...what's wrong?" He asked her.  
  
Shrinking back, she screamed at him, "Sawannai de!" (Don't touch me!)  
  
Neji pulled away his hand and his face hardened once more. "Mo ii yo." He said to himself. Placing his back against her tree, he slid down so that he sat beside the girl. Still sobbing, she unconsciously placed her head on his shoulder. After a while, she fell asleep. Neji, realizing this, didn't try to move at all.  
  
Near to a half hour later, having finally freed himself from the girl, whom he had realized was not Sakura, Sasuke bounded through the forest, looking for Miharu. Stopping suddenly, he looked onward with a shocked expression on his face. He had found her.  
  
And she was not alone. Her head was placed on none other but Neji's shoulder, and she was seemingly asleep. Sasuke black eyes narrowed furiously. He glared wickedly at his comrade, who was lazily staring at the sky.  
  
"I'm going to kill you...that's a promise."  
  
End Chapter 10!  
  
A/N: So, that was the long awaited chapter. It was sort of longer than the others. I was kind of surprised myself. Anyway, I'm not too sure when the next chapter will be up, so you're just going to have to look out for it. This fic should be done pretty soon. Maybe in the next four or five chapters. Oh, and another thing, as for Tayuya, I'm not too sure if that's her name, so I'll double check and then if it isn't, I'll fix it. Same goes for Jirobou and they're descriptions. I might have gotten them mixed up, so yeah...anyway! I'll update soon, hopefully! Ja ne! 


	11. Chapter 11 Haruka Kanata

Love and Death Disclaimer: I want it!! But I can't have it... (  
  
A/N: Yo, minna! I actually got to update the story today! Yappa! Oh yeah, can u look at my profile? Just cuz I don't want to have wasted all my time doing it if no one is going to look at it...even though I was bored...  
  
Anyway, this chapter I'm kind of just going along with the flow of things, because I don't really have an idea of what to do. All I know is that they're travelling to the Wind country from the Hidden Mist, so I'm not entirely sure how long it'll take. But anyway, this chapter is basically going to focus on the different viewpoints of the various teams and their members as they're travelling. I might put a fight in there, but I'm not entirely sure how to divide it...so I'm not sure who's going to be fighting or what so...anyway, enjoy! **Oh, and I fixed the mistakes made in the beginning of the previous chapter.**  
  
Chapter 11-  
  
Haruka Kanata  
  
A group of eleven stood together in the shelter of a small house. They were all cheerfully talking about unimportant matters, despite the task which awaited them. They all cut off abruptly as a tall figure stepped forth from the open doorway.  
  
He eyed them all, disapprovingly, under unnaturally thick eyebrows. (Lee: Unnatural? I was born with these! --___--*) "Have any of you seen them?" He asked urgently, referring to team 00.  
  
Hinata shook her head slowly as she stepped forth. "Iie, Lee-san. W- we haven't seen them at all since they left the village." She lowered her head worriedly. In fact, she wasn't even sure if the three had reached the Hidden Mist yet. Her hands trembled slightly as she began twirling her fingers around one another, a sure sign that she was nervous.  
  
A comforting hand found itself on her shoulder. Looking up quickly, she saw the comforting gaze of Kiba fixed on her face. He grinned and said to her, "Shinpai-nai! They'll be here in no time, Hinata!" He nodded to emphasize his point, then dropped his hand from her shoulder.  
  
She smiled slowly, appreciating the gesture. "H-hai, Kiba-kun. I don't know why I...I was doubting." Looking down at her hands, she realized that she was still worried, despite what he had said. She looked up quickly, worried that he would follow her gaze and realize all she had just said was a lie. He hadn't.  
  
"Yappa! That's the spirit, Hinata!" Grinning once more, he left her side.  
  
"I know what K-kiba-kun said is true...demo..." Gazing up at the ceiling, she sighed softly. "Why am I still doubting?"  
  
*  
  
"Kuso..." Neji's face contorted with anger. 'We're going to be late! I knew we shouldn't have gone on this stupid detour...' "Get the hell out! We know you're there!" He yelled into the darkness. Three figures appeared in front of him.  
  
Miharu awoke suddenly. "We know what...?" She asked, rubbing her eyes slowly and yawning. She patted Neji's shoulder. "You..." she yawned once more, "sure do make a good pillow."  
  
Neji looked at her. "Urusai!" he spat. Seeing the look of confusion on her face (a/n: she sure is stupid!), he sighed impatiently. "Can't you feel it?" he aked her urgently. She only looked at him strangely. "The chakra, you idiot!"  
  
Her eyes widened as she nodded. "Why do they keep ambushing us?" she asked him in a hushed whisper. Then, before he had time to answer, she realized what it must mean. "He knows we're coming, doesn't he?"  
  
Neji didn't answer. Instead he looked ahead at the three figures who had appeared before them. Getting up quickly, he activated his Byakugan. "Of course..." he muttered to himself as he saw their hitai-ate.  
  
A tall, lanky man stepped forward first. He had a bowl shaped haircut, and wore a red trench coat. Underneath he wore a black bodysuit. His left eye was bandaged, and his hitai-ate covered a part of his face. Grinning, the man spoke up.  
  
"Do you want to know?" he asked, malicious laughter hidden beneath his words.  
  
"Know what?" Neji asked. He grabbed a kunai from his pouch and charged. "Chukusho, know what?" He jumped up into the air when he was a foot away from the man, and came down upon the man, kunai first. Jamming it into the Sound's hand, he pushed harder until the Sound was on the floor, hand pinned to the rocky earth by the kunai.  
  
As he jumped away, Neji felt blood trickle down his arm. Looking at it, he was surprised to see a kunai there. He hadn't felt it pierce his skin. Yet...how would it have gotten there? Unless... "Kawarimi no Jutsu!" he gasped, looking at the puddle of water which lay where the Sound once had. A hand connected with his head, and he flew towards the ground from the pressure.  
  
Miharu ran towards the place where Neji was to fall, grabbing him just before he hit the ground. "Neji?" she asked uncertainly, shaking him. "Kuso...we need Sasuke...Where is he?"  
  
*  
  
Sasuke was in no mood to help. He sat high up in the branches of a nearby tree and watched. He had already realized that Orochimaru knew that they were after him, so he wasn't surprised by the steady stream of attacks they had been receiving from the Sand.  
  
He watched as Miharu ran to grab Neji before he hit the ground. He watched as she whispered something into thin air. Watched as she slumped her shoulders in defeat. And then he knew...something was not right. No matter how much he felt to not help...watch them feel the wrath of those stronger than them, they were his team. And he, if no other, needed them to continue the mission. It had to be he who dealt the final blow to Orochimaru.  
  
Sighing, he stood up and jumped.  
  
*  
  
Ino sighed impatiently and loudly. She was getting tired of waiting for the three shinobi. They were supposed to be the best in the village! Why of all times did they choose now to loose track of time? "Baka yo...jou da nai!" She muttered angrily to herself. She felt a tap on her shoulder and looked behind her only to see her renowned best friend. "Sakura?" she asked.  
  
Sakura smiled at her. "Ino buta-chan, shimpai-nai!" Taking a seat beside her friend, Sakura looked at the large group, which had split up into ones of three and four. "You know as well as I do that they are one of the most responsible teams we have. There's no way that they're out there fooling around. Something MUST have come up to delay them."  
  
Ino nodded her head as she realized that what Sakura said was true. There was no way that Team 00 would have done this on purpose. "Arigatou, Sakura. You're right again!" Giving Sakura a quick hug, she leaned back in her seat, hands behind her head. 'All there is to do is wait.' She told herself.  
  
Over in a corner, Tenten stood with Temari. Although the two had hardly had any conversations during their years as Genin and Chuunin, once they had become Jounin they had found a lot more to talk about, seeing as though they had realized they had more in common than anyone could have guessed.  
  
"Ne, TenTen, why do you think they're not here?" Temari asked the younger Jounin. She didn't really understand what could be keeping the three from a mission such as this. The Hokage had even said that this may be the last mission for them, once Orochimaru was defeated. How could they even think about being late now?  
  
TenTen shrugged her shoulders. "I really don't know." She informed her friend. There was no way she would believe Neji could do this. He had never been late for anything in his whole life. And she had known him from her years at the Academy. "Maybe something happened."  
  
Temari looked skeptical. She knew that team well. There was hardly any known teams of any village, including the Hidden Sand, which could match their skill in all areas of jutsu, be it nin-, gen-, or taijutsu. TenTen caught her look, and averted her gaze, falling silent.  
  
Hinata gazed over the groups which were scattered around the room. The memory of what Kiba had said still held strong in her mind, but she still couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong. If they had not been back by now...well, she knew that there was hardly anything which could delay the likes of that team.  
  
Firstly, there was her cousin, Hyuuga Neji. He was one of the strongest of the Hyuuga clan, stronger than her even. He had been taught many of the techniques which utilized the Byakugan to cause opponents internal damage, most of the time which turned out to be fatal. And he knew when and how to use them to the greatest advantage.  
  
Then there was the sole survivor of the Uchiha clan, Uchiha Sasuke. He had, over the years, learned attacks which were specialties of many different countries. And by using his Sharingan, he was able to copy any technique he wished at his will. This made him both powerful on the offense and defense. He was also the most promising ninja in both the tests and the academy.  
  
Miharu...she had so many secrets. About her past, about her skill. She had arrived in time for the Chuunin Exam, from out of nowhere. Yet still, her hitai-ate showed that she was from the Konoha Village. After time, everyone got used to her cold attitude and secretive manner. And so, when she became outspoken and friendly, everyone was quite shocked. Despite all this, she remained on of the strongest female ninja to date.  
  
Hinata smiled meekly at the memory of Team 00. Yet a dark shadow in her mind vanquished her smile. They were here to kill Orochimaru...the deadliest ninja...on the S-rank wanted list...and they were to do it in little or no time. As much as she hated arguments or confrontations of any kind, she had to admit, if only to herself, that she was a little bit angry. Every minute counted, for one could mean the difference between life or death. You live, you love, and you die.  
  
Suddenly she realized that she was by herself, and all the other groups were on the other side of the room. After a moment of private laughter, she decided to join her team. Walking over to Kiba, Akamaru, and Shino, she began to twirl her fingers once more. No matter how hard she tried, she would never be able to hide her emotions.  
  
Shino nodded at her as she walked over, as a fly landed on her arm. Careful not to harm it, Hinata smiled softly. As she reached closer, Akamaru barked out to her, bounding of his master's head and into her arms. The fly which had perched upon her earlier took flight. Hinata looked at it, reaching out as if to grab it, a low "Ah!" escaping her mouth.  
  
Her hand stopped halfway as Akamaru rubbed itself against her leg. Bending down, she patted it slowly. Looking up, she saw Kiba and Shino standing over her, grinning. Getting up, she faced them, a slight blush creeping over her nose. "N-nani?" She asked uncertainly.  
  
They didn't have any time to answer. Before they had time to even open their mouths, the doors to the room burst open once more, and Kankuro walked through. "Minna-san, get ready to leave! If team 00 aren't here in the next half hour, we're going to go on ahead without them. They are to meet with us later on. Those are direct orders from the Hokage."  
  
Shikamaru spoke up from his corner where he and Chouji sat. "Demo...if we leave without them, how are they to know where we are? How will they contact us?"  
  
Kankuro looked over at him. "Hokage-sama said that he's sending someone here to hold this place until their team arrives. Then he'll direct them to where we left off. As for contacting us...I'm not too sure myself how that's going to work."  
  
Lee turned toward him and flashed him a big smile. "I guess we'll have to just see. Demo ne, nothing is too hard for the most gorgeous beast of the Konoha!" He was too busy talking about his so-called beauty (Lee: So called? I'm so beautiful that I put models to shame!) that he had not even realized that TenTen had grabbed his collar until she began to shake him. HARD.  
  
"LEE!" She yelled into his ear. "URUSAI O KUDASAI YO!" Finally letting go, she let him drop down to the floor, nearly unconcious, before kneeling down beside him. "Let's just get ready, ok?" She asked him warily.  
  
Looking up at her he nodded fearfully, and she hugged him. Watching this, everyone in the room sweatdropped. They couldn't help but all realize what a weird relationship the two had.  
  
*  
  
Sasuke sped towards his teammates. He wasn't sure how fast he could reach the area where they were currently fighting the sound. There was no way he was going to loose his team this early, before he had a chance to utterly destroy Orochimaru, just as he had done with his brother.  
  
*  
  
Neji sat up, using Miharu as support. Wiping the blood of his mouth with the back of his hand, he coughed. "Neji? What happened up there?" She asked. Neji looked at her, his gaze containing naught but spite. She flinched under his stare, but quickly straightened up. What she saw heading for her made her scream.  
  
*  
  
Finally leaving the room, Hinata stood under the blue sky...gazing into the far off distance...Haruka Kanata.  
  
End of Chapter 11!  
  
A/N: Only a few more chapters to go! I kind of changed the storyline as I went along, because I believe the "Road to Wind" might be a pretty long chapter. Anyway, I decided to focus more on the other groups than on team 00 so I hope you still enjoyed it. I'm not too sure when the next chapter will be up, so please keep on checking! Ja ne! 


	12. Chapter 12 MIA

Love and Death Disclaimer: I don't think I'd be sitting here, writing a fanfic, if I owned  
Naruto itself...  
  
A/N: Hey! I actually updated today! Wow...anyways, This chapter might be the longest I've wrote yet. I think anywhere from 13-16 pgs. in length. Oh well. So, this chapter is basically from where it left off last time all the way to when they find team 00, practically save them, and start off to the Wind Country, not reach it. That's in the next chapter. There's going to be one major fight in there, and maybe some traps. I'm not sure if I'm going to put in another fight yet. Oh...there may be some of the "Four Sound" in this chapter! Enjoy, o-kudasai! **Kampai! -^-___-^-**  
  
Chapter 12-  
  
M . I . A  
  
Sasuke ran towards them with incredible speed. He heard a scream, one that could only belong to his female partner. "Kuso!" He had been swearing a lot as of late. Running faster, he began to worry. "I have no time to fool around." Once more, he gathered his chakra to the soles of his feat. Leaping into the air, he landed on the base of a tree. Continuing upward, he stopped when he reached the topmost branch.  
  
"I can see them!" Forming the hand signals, he called out "Katon Housenka no Jutsu!"  
  
Miharu shut her mouth abruptly, mentally berating herself. 'How the hell could I be so stupid? What if there are more of them?' That's when it came to her. Why didn't she just dodge? Seconds before the knifelike blades of winds sliced into her skin, she sprinted to her left, still carrying Neji.  
  
'Why won't he make an effort to help?' she wondered angrily. Stopping suddenly, she pinned his body to a tree using her kunai. He was still glaring at her hatefully, and she wished he would stop. Yet, he was helping to make what she was about to do a lot more enjoyable.  
  
SLAP!  
  
Neji jerked his arm out of the hold it had been in by the kunai and lifted it up to his face, massaging the reddest part, where Miharu had just slapped him. He spat at her, yet she just moved at the side and looked at him, disgust clearly shown within her cold gray eyes. "Wake up, you idiot." Moving nearer to his form, she began pulling the kunai out of the tree, so that he was free to move. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Are you going to get off your lazy butt and help out or what? We could very well die here!"  
  
Averting his gaze from her angry face, Neji's eyes widened in surprise. "Nani?" Miharu asked infuriated that he wasn't paying any attention to what she was saying. Turning, she saw behind her, she saw four very distinct figures, of which she had only seen once before, yet whom she would always remember...  
  
**Flashback**  
  
Sakura dropped to the floor suddenly, tears rushing down her face. Gasping for breath, she stared straight ahead at the five retreating figures, hands clutching her chest.  
  
Kneeling down beside her, Miharu held on to Sakura as if her life depended upon it. Looking up, angry tears held in the corners of her eyes, she screamed at them, "Come back here! Bring him BACK!!!" when they didn't turn to face her, she directed her anger to the sole cause of Sakura's pain. "SASUKE YOU BASTARD! GET BACK HERE!"  
  
All of a sudden she saw a man with blonde hair. He was right in front of her. Looking past him, she saw only four figures retreating. Clutching Sakura's limp figure closer, she spluttered out a meek "Wha-?"  
  
"The Four Sound do not answer to anyone." He whispered into her ear. A chill raced up and down her spine. She could hear him laughing softly, and then there was no one. They had all disappeared.  
  
**End Flashback**  
  
"It's them..." she whispered in horror. Three of the figures grinned, while the third, a pink-haired female, just frowned. In a matter of seconds, all four heads whipped around to stare behind them, where they had come from.  
  
"Do you feel it?" Asked the largest one there. He was answered by the blonde haired man.  
  
"It's him..."  
  
Suddenly, a steady blast of fire came from the left, straight at the four. Miharu smirked to herself. "Katon Housenka...Sasuke, you've finally decided to show up..."  
  
*  
  
Hinata walked back into the dark room slowly, fingers once more at work twirling nervously around themselves. Something was wrong...something was wrong...something was wrong...something was wrong...  
  
"Minna! Something isn't right!" She called out meekly. No one heard. Either that, or they just didn't bother to listen to what the quiet girl had to say. Eight years had not changed her that much. 'Why aren't they listening?' She thought to herself desperately. 'This is important!'  
  
She tried again. "Minna-" she was cut off by a loud bark-like laugh. 'No...' she thought franticly. 'They have to listen!' Squeezing her eyes shut, she clenched her fists and screamed, "Urusai yo!"  
  
A surprised silence filled the room. Everyone turned to her direction, mouths open and eyes wide. 'W...was that really Hinata-chan?' Sakura wondered to herself in awe.  
  
'H-hinata?' Kiba questioned silently. 'Was that really you?'  
  
Hinata, too, questioned what she had just done. 'I...I just...' Dipping her head in a deep, apologetic bow, a steady stream of "Gomen!" escaped from her delicate lips. Straightening up, she explained her actions. "I- it's just that...I r-really think that they are I-in trouble...and no one was l- listening..." Blushing a bright red, she turned her head away. "I-iie. It was foolish of me. Gomen ne!"  
  
It was Shino who stepped forth and spoke. "No...I believe that you're right, Hinata. They would never be this late," He turned his head to the clock on the wall, showing that it was two hours after they were to leave, to further accentuate his statement, "unless something serious showed up."  
  
Lee nodded, getting up from his position on the floor. "He's right. They might have gotten caught in a trap..."  
  
"...Or maybe someone stronger than them has them backed against a wall!" Ino gasped at the thought.  
  
Sakura stepped forth, determination shining brightly in her eyes. Ever since her newfound skills in both nin- and genjutsu had come forth, she had more confidence in her fighting abilities. She was still the second smartest (second to Shikamaru, that is) in the village, but she was now able to defend and fight for herself. Pointing to the open door which Hinata had come through, she stated boldly, "We should go and look for them!"  
  
Everyone in the room walked up behind her, with the exception of Hinata, who now stood behind her, with the same determination she had shown when fighting Neji at the third test. Nodding her head quickly, she called to them all. "Now!"  
  
All twelve, the second group of most advanced shinobi the Konoha Gakure had to offer sped through the open door and into the light, searching for the missing team.  
  
*  
  
Neji walked up beside Miharu, crossing his arms across his chest. Looking him over, still angry at seeing him, Miharu turned back to the scene in front of her. "So, you've decided to actually fight, asshole?" She asked him sarcastically, a hint of anger tainting her words.  
  
"Shut the hell up, you bitch." He spat at her. Flinching, she moved away from him. That had to be the worst thing anyone who knew her well had ever said to her. In that moment, she hated Neji more than anything she ever had known, whether she loved or hated it. Meanwhile, Neji watched the Sound carefully, not noticing that Miharu had moved further away. She was really starting to piss him off.  
  
The Four Sound had scattered into different directions. Shuriken lined the ground where the Fire Flowers had hit the ground in misfire. Miharu had no need to say anything to Neji. Neither did she need to look his way to check on what he was doing. Just as she had suspected, he whispered to her, "They're in all four directions...surrounding us." Risking a glance over his way, she saw that indeed the grotesque veins had appeared around his eyes, a sign of, in her opinion, his most useful attack.  
  
Sasuke jumped from a height of about 20 meters (Hope that's high enough for you!) landing in front of Miharu and Neji. Pulling up, he rested his right hand upon his hip and smirked. "Humph." Looking directly at Neji, he narrowed his eyes. "It seems you can't even last without me."  
  
"Oy, that's not fair, Sasuke!" Miharu complained. "I had to fight off a team of ninja by myself, remember?" When he didn't reply, Miharu felt an incredible urge to punch his stupid smirking face in. However, she managed to settle with just clutching her fists so tight that they bled.  
  
"Urusai." Neji muttered under his breath, just loud enough for the two to hear. When they stopped bickering and turned their attention to him, he continued. "In case you have forgotten, those four are still here...whoever they are."  
  
"Ke..." Sasuke spat. He remembered all to well. They were the four who had almost killed him that night. The night he had, with their help, convinced himself that he needed Orochimaru's power to help him kill Itachi. And it turned out to be true. But he had lost much of the trust he had gained in his younger years for that power. Now, however, Itachi was dead. The Uchiha clan had had their revenge. He didn't need Orochimaru anymore.  
  
The three tensed, looking in the directions which Neji had pointed out. Although they couldn't see what was happening, he could. Suddenly realizing he had not been paying any attention to what the four had been doing, but to what his teammates were bickering about, he turned his head quickly to look at them all. What he saw did not make him feel any better. "What the hell?" He asked himself.  
  
Sasuke and Miharu both took the chance to look at their partner. They saw his eyes widen slightly, saw his mouth form the words, heard them escape from his pale lips. "Not good!" he yelled. However, it was too late.  
  
Four voices joined together harmoniously to form the word "Shishienjin!" (Four Man Purple Flame Array). A purplish box shaped barrier covered the three ninja who stood upon the dusty trail. Burning brightly, it cloaked them. There was no way for them to escape.  
  
"Hah!" Miharu called out the four. "You honestly think this pathetic barrier can keep me in?" She wasn't able to see three grins, one frown, through the thick purple barrier. She began running toward the nearest wall.  
  
"Yamete!" Came Neji's cool voice. She stopped abruptly.  
  
"Nani?" She asked angrily. "I want to get out of here! We have to..."  
  
"I know what we have to do, you idiot. But if I were you, I wouldn't touch any one of these walls."  
  
"Well, you're not me, so shove it!" Angrily, she grabbed a kunai from her pouch and threw it at the wall. Sasuke smirked as it came into contact with the wall and burst into purple flames. Miharu dropped to the ground, shock drawn upon her face. "What the hell...?"  
  
"He did tell you..." Sasuke stated matter-of-factly.  
  
Miharu blushed furiously. "So then, Mr. Smart Ass, how the hell are you planning for us to get out of here?" She turned her back to the both of them, and moved as far away as she could, careful to keep a safe distance between herself and the purple box of flames.  
  
"Simple...we wait."  
  
*  
  
Bounding through the trees, Hinata surveyed all. They all had the same look of determination on their faces, though some were more so than others. Speeding up so that she could catch Kiba, she slowed her pace once she reached him. "W-we'll find them...won't w-we?" She asked quietly.  
  
Looking at her, he nodded, though she couldn't see. "Of course! You have to have faith!" Facing frontward once more, they continued on in silence, until...  
  
Stopping suddenly, Hinata looked ahead to see why they had come to such an abrupt halt. Seeing Sakura in lead, talking, she listened attentively. "Now, of course, being the genius that I am, had a brilliant idea! Hinata-chan!" Looking over everyone else, Sakura spotted Hinata and waved her over. Walking forward tentatively, Hinata stopped in front of the pink-haired girl. Bowing her head slightly, she answered.  
  
"Y-yes, Sakura-san?"  
  
Smiling widely, Sakura asked her in a sickly sweet voice, "Do you think you could use your Byakugan to check for them?"  
  
Looking up, a slight blush warming her cheeks, Hinata nodded slowly. "H-hai! Of course!" Looking around her, she saw Kiba. He flashed her a quick thumbs up.  
  
"Gambatte, Hinata!" He cheered her on.  
  
Closing her eyes slowly, she softly murmured "Byakugan!" and opened them once more, revealing grotesque veins, which resembled Neji's a great deal. Pointing North-West, she told the rest that they were in that direction. Trusting her entirely, the group sped off.  
  
Stopping abruptly once more, several minutes later, Sakura stared in front of her in shock. Creeping up behind her, the rest of the shinobi's faces began to take on the same look as they saw four figures (well, actually three jeering and one frowning...guess who...) jeering those who were in a flaming purple box, seemingly unable to move.  
  
It was Ino's voice who first broke through. "Holy shit..."  
  
A/N: Ok ya, I know. Took me long enough. Actually, I could have finished this on Saturday or Sunday. I just was feeling extremely lazy. But I finally got it up, and that's what counts, right? Ok, three more chapters to go! I have them all planned out and everything. So then, ja ne! 


	13. Chapter 13 Konoha Ninja vs The Four Soun...

Love and Death Disclaimer: Why do we have to put this at the beginning of every chapter?  
No, I don't own Naruto!  
  
A/N: Evil flames! Evil! Oh well...I will give in to the flames and not write another "me included" fanfic! I wish to please everyone! (Naruto: Nani??? Mo, Miharu, baka yaro!) So, yeah, this chapter is a whole long fight...how am I supposed to do this?? Toughie...oh well, it's my story, and I've decided! None of you can make me change my mind! Mwahahaha! **Erm, I'm sugar-high right now, so sumimasen, o-kudasai!** I hope you enjoy my new chapter! Kampai! -^-___-^-x  
  
Chapter 13-  
  
Konoha Ninja vs. The Four Sound  
  
"Holy shit..."  
  
Ino's words carried through the trees into the clearing below. Sasuke, Neji, and the Four Sound stared in the direction of the Konoha's most prestigious ninja. It was only after a few minutes that Miharu cut off her steady stream of swearing to see what they all found so interesting.  
  
A kunai came flying out of the pink-haired girl's sleeve, into her awaiting hand. Without hesitation, she threw it into the direction of which the voices were coming from. Listening for some sound of pain, or looking for the ninja to escape from the trees, she was surprised when she got neither.  
  
Sasuke almost laughed at the bewildered looks upon the Four's faces. This was the group which had beat him so badly before he had decided to journey with them to the Hidden Sound? Looking over at Neji, he could see that they both shared the same feelings. Catching his eye, Sasuke smirked. Grinning back, Neji sat down upon the dirt floor, Sasuke following his lead.  
  
Miharu's voice cut through the still air. "We might as well enjoy this..."  
  
*  
  
Sakura and the rest watched from behind the Four ninja. It was amusing that they were well known as one of Orochimaru's deadliest forces, and yet they could not even tell the difference between their actual forms and a simple copy. She looked around herself to see the others. They were all in proper formation. She was certain none could be seen by anyone on the path...except for, perhaps, Hyuuga Neji.  
  
Lifting herself slowly, so that she could be seen by the rest of the Jounin, she proceeded to signal for them to move back slowly. When all were assembled a safe distance away, she started, once more, with the usual "I know you all are probably not too happy with me in command, but Naruto Hokage-sama seemed to think I was the best to lead. So, anyway..."  
  
She seemed to be thinking over what she was to say. Nodding to herself, as if agreeing with her decision, she continued. "Well, this is going to be a big fight, and I wouldn't want us to all get tired at once. What we'll do is go team by team, leaving the strongest for last."  
  
Shikamaru nodded. "You want the rest to fall back until one team is unable to fight?"  
  
"Sou." Sakura nodded. "One team will fight until they cannot possibly take anymore. Then the next one will step up, then the next. I guess you all already know who's last, right?" She paused until she saw everyone nod, and then she continued once more. "Okay, now that that's clear, let's go on. What I want is for the second last team, whoever it is, to free those three. I don't care how you do it, so long as those four have no idea of what you are doing. Wakarimasu-ka?"  
  
One by one, members of all four teams nodded. "So...S-sakura-chan..." Hinata asked meekly. This time, everyone listened. (^=^) "Do we...t-that is, the one's who a-aren't fighting at the time...stay here?"  
  
"Until it's your time to fight, yes. Yosha!" Punching nothing but air, she cried out "Ikimashou!"  
  
Lee walked forward, and TenTen followed, grabbing the still air- punching Sakura as she walked by. "Sayonara!" she called to everyone, as she was dragged from the small clearing of trees.  
  
*  
  
"Wacha!" Lee cried out happily, tears rushing from his unusually round eyes. Bunching his unnaturally thick eyebrows together, he grinned. "I'll make you so proud, Gai-sensei!" (TenTen: **sweatdrop** I'm going out with him and everything, but is he really still doing that after all this time?)  
  
Using a tree as a push-off, the three sped at the Four below, stopping inches from where they stood. Sakura's face hardened at the sight of the four. "Omae..." she whispered maliciously.  
  
Lee and TenTen both stared at Sakura. "You know them, Sakura-san?" Lee asked.  
  
"Those are the four...who took Sasuke..."  
  
Walking forward, the blonde-haired man smirked. "You're the girl who wouldn't stop crying, aren't you?" Pushing her roughly, he continued, eyeing her. "Much prettier now...aren't you going to cry again?"  
  
Before he could blink, Sakura had a kunai at his throat. "Big girls don't cry." She whispered before jamming it into his neck. Grinning as she heard a poof, she stepped back before the cold, clear water could touch her. Doing the hand seal, she disappeared.  
  
Lee and TenTen were both approached by the three remaining Sound. "Choose." Lee ordered her.  
  
Sticking her tongue out at him, she pointed at the pink haired girl. "Us girls got to stick together, you know?" She flashed him a quick thumbs up before disappearing and reappearing only inches away from her opponent. "Seems like I've got you. Think you can keep up?"  
  
Still frowning, the pink haired girl stared. 'This girl can't be too hard to beat...she looks pathetic!' Yet still, she knew looks could be deceiving. The corner of her mouth lifted slightly to form a small smirk. Drawing a kunai from her pouch, she swirled it around her finger. "And what about you?"  
  
"Eyah...figures they'd leave me with the two weirdest guys." Lee muttered to himself. Bracing himself, he decided he'd take out the big guy first. Grinning, he called out, "The bigger they are, the harder they FALL!" Rushing toward his opponent with unbelievable speed, he ducked under and kicked him in the jaw, sending him flying backwards.  
  
The big man managed to land on his feet, surprising Lee a considerable amount. Landing in a distance away, he charged at Lee. Doing the hand seals, he called, "Doton Doryou Dango!" (Earth Element: Mud Cannonball) Lifting up a gigantic piece of earth from underfoot, he hurled it with all his strength in Lee's direction.  
  
Just as it was about to smash into Lee's thick-eyebrowed face (couldn't resist -__-*), he dodged to the side, and ran towards the man, smashing his hand in the Sound's face, causing him to fall backwards. However, he got up slowly, shakily...but up all the same.  
  
"I see that you have high endurance..." Lee started, unwrapping the bandages that covered his hands (I'm not sure if I described him with or without them, but he has to have them so...). "...But I have high endurance also!" Coming at the man at top speed, Lee once again ducked under his bulk and kicked him into the air. Jumping upward to follow the Sound in an aerial pursuit, Lee's bandages wrapped themselves around the Sound's body. Grabbing onto the loose ends, he tightened them and then yelled, "Omote Renge!" (Initial Lotus). As they began their decent, Lee spun them both faster and faster and faster, driving the Sound into the ground, and jumping away before any serious damage could happen to him.  
  
Grinning weakly, panting heavily the whole while, Lee rose a shaky hand to wipe the sweat from his brow. "(pant)...I have...(pant)...a higher end...(pant)...endurance...(pant)...than any other..." Dropping to the ground heavily, he looked over at the spidery-looking Sound ninja. He wasn't going to be able to fight that guy just now. Someone would have to take his place.  
  
*  
  
The blonde-haired man scanned to forest from his place atop a forgotten tree. It was a safe distance from the rest of the fighting. 'Where'd she go?' he wondered to himself. Then he smirked. "Of course..." he said to himself softly. Forming the required hand seal, he called out, "Kai!"  
  
He felt a swift change in the direction of the softly blowing wind, and looked around once more. Yet still, he didn't see her. Could the crybaby have gotten so good in that short amount of time? Then he felt it...a fairly strong amount of chakra...  
  
"Above!"  
  
Looking up, he saw the girl coming at him, a kunai in her hand. He dodged to the side as she landed on the ground, and watched her slim figure melt into nothing. "Nani?!" He quickly scanned the area around him, but saw nothing. Then he looked up. Nothing there either. "Where is she?"  
  
Feeling something wrap itself around his ankles he looked down...and gasped in surprise. The hands, which were now tightly wound around his ankles, pulled and he was drawn into the ground in one quick movement. Looking up, he stared into the face of the young pink-haired shinobi. She smiled at him. "Thank Kakashi-sensei for teaching me that!" Winking, she told him "Doton Shinjuu Zanshu no Jutsu! It really does come in handy!" (Earth Type: Inner Decapitation Skill)  
  
Stepping back from the now angry head of her opponent, she said to him softly, "I think I'll leave you for another to finish." Sakon spit angrily on the ground as she walked away, then realized...his hands could move slightly, underneath all this sand...and his mouth was still usable...  
  
"Ah!" Sakura cried out as she was hit from behind. As she fell, she managed to gather enough strength to turn her head slightly and see what had happened. The blonde man was grinning...and then fading...  
  
*  
  
TenTen braced herself, thinking of what her first move would be. She hadn't really grown that much over the years, yet she wasn't weak. Her specialty had stayed the same...(you know those strings she uses in the first test of the Chuunin Exam? Her specialty is manipulating them in various ways).  
  
'I know what I'll do!' She decided to thank her fellow ninja later on for helping her learn his attack...'So much for it only being for his clan!' She laughed softly to herself. She didn't have his doujutsu...the Sharingan...yet still, she could give it a try. But first...  
  
She charged at her opponent, grabbing a kunai from her pouch as she ran. Both kunai clashed, as the two females used them as swords. Jumping back, TenTen grinned. This was perfect.  
  
Her grin faded and she coughed as the kunai drove handle-deep into her stomach. Instead of spitting up blood as would normally be done, the figure instead dropped into the ground, kunai still planted into its thick bark. From behind her, the pink-haired ninja heard, "Ninpou: Sofuushasen no Tachi!" (Ninja's Art: Windmill Triple Blade)  
  
Before her opponent had time to react, TenTen threw many shuriken, attached to various thin strings, at the Sound. As they wrapped around the girl, TenTen pulled them tighter, ensuring there was no way for her to escape. Pulling them toward her, she watched her opponent crash into the ground, struggling to be freed.  
  
Standing straight, while panting heavily, TenTen realized that she now had the perfect chance to finish her opponent off. But before she could, she felt something attach onto her from behind. Looking back, she saw a thick, sticky web attached to the back of her shirt. Her face turned a sickly shade of green. 'Eww! Spider!'  
  
Looking further down, she saw that the web's origin was the mouth of a man who bore much resemblance to a spider. He was grinning at her. Jerking his head back, he sent her flying into a tree. She hit the trunk with a sickening CRACK! and dropped to the ground heavily, unconscious.  
  
*  
  
From behind the bushes, Ino looked over at her two teammates. "You guys feel like having a go now?" she asked them anxiously. Shikamaru looked at her as if she was asking him the biggest favour in the world.  
  
"Oh, how troublesome. Demo...I guess I have no choice then...fine, we'll go." He said, as if the world now lay upon his very shoulders. Chouji nodded as he frantically tried to finish his newest bag of chips.  
  
Standing up, Ino took charge. "Yosha! First we need to get them safely out of the area of battle! Then we start. Formation, InoShikaCho!"  
  
"Ah!" Shikamaru and Chouji both answered with a nod of their heads.  
  
Quickly they sped into the battlefield, grabbing the bodies of their comrades, and returned back before the three standing Sound had realized that they were gone.  
  
Sakon looked over at the fallen Jiroubou. "He's pathetic, really. Against a kid half his size, no, make that one sixth of his size...and he still can't beat the kid!" Pulling himself, with great trouble, out of the ground, he stretched and walked over to Kidoumarou and Tayuya.  
  
Tayuya raised a suspicious eyebrow slowly. A dark, quiet voice escaped her lips. "Is that all?"  
  
"All what?" Sakon questioned her.  
  
"Where are the rest of their shinobi? Their kage wouldn't send only one team to look for them," jerking her head in the direction of their hostage team, she continued, "when they're of such high importance. Where are the rest?"  
  
"We're right here!" Came Ino's high, mocking voice from behind them. Swivelling around quickly, they looked at her and the two who accompanied her. "This is all they're going to send us to fight?" Asked Kidoumarou in scorn. "This is pathetic." Forming the hand seals, he opened his mouth wide. "Ninpou; Kumoshi Bari!" A large web escaped his mouth and flew towards the three Konoha ninja. They dodged in different directions, yet all landed simultaneously in a somewhat co-operative line.  
  
Ino looked up, face shining. "Minna! Formation Ino..."  
  
"...Shika..."  
  
"...Cho...!"  
  
Looking at her largest teammate, she nodded. "Go for it, Chouji!" she called to him.  
  
"Oh!" He answered. Forming the hand seals, he called out, "Multi-size no jutsu!" One by one his head, arms, and legs all disappeared into his clothes, which were now as big and round as a tank. "Nikundan Sensha!" Sending his body into a roll, he charged at the spindly Sound.  
  
The blonde haired man (0_o5:: I have a name!!! It's Sakon!) charged at Ino, fist drawn back. Suddenly, he froze in his tracks. Slight surprise wound itself into the fearless look of his eyes. Cocking his head to the side, he rolled his eyes to his left, to stare at the male teammate of his enemy. Looking down, he saw that one long shadow connected the black-haired man and himself. (Is it black or just dark brown?)  
  
The young man grinned as he looked right at the Sound, Sakon. Although no sound escaped his mouth, Sakon knew exactly what his opponent had said when his lips formed the silent words "Kagemane no Jutsu."  
  
Ino looked at the female Sound with a smile upon her face. At seeing this, Tayuyua began to feel slightly unsettled. It wasn't usual for opponents of the infamous Four Sound to have such a carefree smile upon their faces. Was this girl so skilled that she could stare upon the face of the bringer of death with such confidence?  
  
Tayuya realized only too late that she wasn't paying much attention to her opponent. Snapping out of her daze she heard her opponent call out "Shintenshin no Jutsu!" Then her world went black...  
  
Kidoumaru looked at the huge tank-like ball heading straight for him. He had heard of it before, and of its users, the Akimichi clan. Although it could be a force to be reckoned with, he knew the perfect way to cancel it. Once he did, that boy would be in no position to fight again.  
  
Grinning at the boy whom was headed in his direction, he said to him, "Sorry, fat ass, but your time is up!" Doing the hand seals, he called out, "Ninpou: Kimoshi Bari!" A thick web escaped from his mouth and stretched across the road, separating him and his opponent.  
  
Not able to stop, Chouji rolled right into the Sound's trap. Because the web was enforced with its user's chakra, Chouji couldn't break out of its sticky hold. He was stuck. The tank disappeared, and his true form could be seen. He looked as if he was going to be sick.  
  
Kidoumaru grinned and advanced on his fallen opponent, opening his mouth wide. 'Time to finish this one of,' he thought to himself. Before he could begin the hand seals, a rush of wind swept over him, and the chubby man he had been fighting was nowhere to be seen. In his place was a boy-and-dog team.  
  
Shikamaru knew his hold on Sakon's body was about to break. He began thinking of what he should do once it did break. Though he was the most intelligent Jounin, he did not have much strength when it came to actual fights. His Kagemane no Jutsu was his most effective jutsu, in fact.  
  
Realizing that his hold had just broken, Shikamaru sprung to the left just as two kunai came speeding his way. He smirked. Maybe his skill had improved after a-  
  
Sakon smirked as the young man fainted from the hit which had just been delivered to one of the power points on his neck. 'The boy was so pre-occupied With my diversion that he did not even realize that my chakra had changed directions.  
  
He watched, wide-eyed, as the man's lifeless body was lifted into mid-air by apparently nothing, then carried away. Then he realized what it must be. His assumption was confirmed when he saw a young purple- haired woman in front of him, hands in the seal of the concealing jutsu, eyes that of a Hyuuga. He wondered if she would be worthy...  
  
Tayuya woke up suddenly, surprised that naught but a few scratches were upon her. Looking down, she saw the blonde Konoha shinobi lying, unconscious, upon the rough dirt floor. Could it be that her attack had missed? Perhaps her soul had not yet returned to her body...  
  
She walked up to the Leaf and prepared to kick her, but her foot was grabbed in mid-kick by a man who wore dark, round sunglasses. She looked at him, mildly surprised that the blonde ninja was nowhere to be seen. Releasing her foot, he stood and faced her, holding out a hand. She watched as, slowly, a bug came and perched upon his outstretched finger.  
  
Sakon stood straight and frowned. One man was down, and he was not sure when this steady stream of shinobi would end. "Tayuya, Kidoumaru, we take our leave." He sprinted over to their biggest teammate, and lifted him upon his shoulder with apparent ease. "We have no more time to be wasted here fooling around. Ikimashou!"  
  
Both Kidoumaru and Tayuya straightened also, and followed his lead as they sprinted from the forest. The purpled flames which surrounded team 00 disappeared as the Sound's chakra slowly diminished. The remaining team appeared, carrying all of the fainted bodies. Kiba's team walked over to the others.  
  
"This completely SUCKS!" He complained loudly. "We didn't even get to fight!" He punched the air miserably, while his canine companion barked in equal agitation.  
  
Gaara slowly turned his head in the direction of the noisy duo. "Urusai." He said in a deadly whisper. Akamaru shivered, and Kiba said nothing more, but glared at the red-headed man. They both remembered the time of their Chuunin Exams in the Death Forest.  
  
"Thanks, you guys!" Miharu exclaimed. "Wow, you really have gotten stronger!" She took the hand that Neji offered her, using his help to get up. She assumed this was a guesture to say he was sorry, and smiled at him in forgiveness. Sasuke nodded his head at the twelve shinobi who had come to their aid.  
  
"Don't thank us." Temari stated bluntly. Everyone (who was conscious) realized what she meant and turned toward the quietest of the twelve. "It's Hinata who realized you might be in trouble." Miharu smiled warmly at the girl.  
  
A slight blush warmed her cheeks, and she stuttered out a meek "A- ano!" as she turned her head away. However, through the corner of her eye, she watched her cousin for any kind of reaction.  
  
He looked right at her, seemingly in deep though. Then, in a very boy- like manner, he kicked at the ground and muttered, "Thanks."  
  
End Chapter 13!  
  
A/N: Sorry I took so long to update, but I have a good reason why. On Friday, I broke my wrist playing basketball. And to top it off, it's my right one. So I'm not able to type with that hand at all. The cast's going to be on for the next six weeks, and I'm not sure how long it will take for me to finish & update the next two chapters, so please keep checking! Thank you so much! Ja ne! (Please review!) 


	14. Chapter 14 Way of the Shinobi

Love and Death Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Naruto characters or blah blah  
blah...but I do wish that I did.  
  
A/N: Okay! I've finally started the 14th chapter! That means...only one more to go! I'm so excited! My first successful completed fanfic. My other two didn't go so well, so knowing that there are those who enjoy my fic makes me so happy. **Wipes tear from eye.** But I should be saving this for my next chapter. So, back to the fic, this chapter may be kind of random. I think I might just let it flow as I'm writing, because I don't really have any ideas for it. I also think I'm going to take a break from the fight scenes for a while, so there won't be anymore in this chapter. That's all for now, I believe. Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 14-  
  
Way of the Shinobi  
  
A warm breeze brushed the faces of the shinobi whom were conversing jovially about trivial things. For the first time in the past few days, smiles – real smiles – could be seen upon their faces (Well, except for one – the redheaded man). The trees, too, seemed to have caught their contagious disease. The greenest of leaves made their way off of their branches and, dancing in the wind, onto the pathway below. The sun shone brightly overhead, and signs of nature's children could be seen and heard throughout the forest: the chattering of chipmunks, the songs of birds, and the scurries of squirrels.  
  
TenTen smiled warmly at the young man with whom she walked hand in hand. Although, she had to admit, he could be an idiot at times, she knew that he was the only person she could ever be truly happy with. Of course, she wouldn't let him know all of that...just yet, anyway.  
  
"Lee-kun?" She asked, slightly tightening her grip on his hand. He looked at her and flashed her one of his flawless smiles before answering.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"..." A loud grumble shot through the air, as everyone quieted and turned in the couple's direction. TenTen smiled weakly before continuing, a hint of crimson brushed over her fine features. "Are you hungry?"  
  
Lee sweatdropped, but recovered quickly. He stood and faced her, hand behind his head. Listening closely, TenTen could hear the tinniest hint of a growl erupt from his stomach. "Actually, TenTen-chan, I am."  
  
It was then that Sakura spoke up from the head of the group. "Maybe we should stop here and get something to eat and sleep until tomorrow. It's almost dark now anyway, so we might as well." Everyone nodded in agreement, and they all moved off of the forest path into a small clearing deep amongst the trees. There they lit a fire and sat down, in couples or teams, and began to prepare food. Which was, of course, mainly instant ramen.  
  
Hinata, sitting by herself only a few paces from the fire, couldn't help but smile as she thought of the one she loved, who had been left at the Konoha Gakure. 'He would love to be here right now.' She thought to herself, still smiling. 'I wonder what he's doing now...'  
  
**Back at the Konoha Village**  
  
Naruto smiled at his former sensei over his ramen bowl, face hidden by an overly large trench coat. Dark glasses covered his baby blue eyes. He had discarded his Hokage outfit elsewhere, and now just wore black leather pants, and a black (tight) short-sleeved shirt.  
  
"Ahhh! Sensei, thanks for buying me ramen!" He said, with a hint of immaturity, as he ordered his fifteenth bowl.  
  
"Naruto...calling me 'sensei' while you're Hokage wont make me forget that you still have to pay me back the money that you owe me from all this ramen." Kakashi stated dryly, sighing into his hand.  
  
"Eheh...demo, sensei! They don't pay you for being Hokage, you know!" Naruto protested weakly. "How am I supposed to pay you back?"  
  
Kakashi shrugged his shoulders carelessly, and pulled out Para Para Paradise. "You figure it out."  
  
Naruto grabbed his old sensei's book and flipped through it, glaring suspiciously at Kakashi the whole while. "You've had this book for over eight years, and you expect me to believe that you still haven't finished it yet?" Naruto questioned in disbelief.  
  
Kakshi shrugged once more. "I might've missed something." He answered tonelessly. Taking the book back from Naruto, he soundlessly continued to read, Naruto noisily eating his ramen. Once more he was interrupted, and that was when Kakashi had said, "Hurry and finish, Naruto. You look horrible in that jacket."  
  
**Back to the middle of nowhere**  
  
Kiba, noticing Hinata by herself in the corner of the clearing, decided to join her. They had become close friends over the years, and he could not get any closer. After all, the Hokage was her boyfriend. Yet still, he had learnt to settle with second best.  
  
"Yo, Hinata!" He grinned as Akamaru jumped off his head and bounded over to the female Hyuuga.  
  
Hinata looked up suddenly, surprised. She hoped he hadn't seen her smiling like that. "A-ah, hey..." she trailed off, lifting her eyes to the sky above.  
  
Kiba looked at the girl he once – and still did – had feelings for. Grinning, he stated the obvious. "You really miss him, don't you, Hinata?" Although the sky was now pitch black, with naught but the moon and campfire around which they sat to light the clearing, he could see a faint blush grace her features. He knew he was right.  
  
Not taking her eyes of the sky above, she nodded slightly. "I...I miss him so much." Finally drawing her gaze away from the sky, she turned toward her friend and smiled. However, Kiba could see the tears which slowly fell from her ivory coloured eyes.  
  
He looked at her sympathetically and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We'll be back before you know it." He assured her. "You'll be able to see him soon."  
  
Hinata nodded and whispered a small "Thank you..." before returning her gaze to the heavens above. "Aren't they beautiful?" She asked softly. Kiba gave her a funny look before dropping down onto the lush grass, hands behind his head. "Yeah..." He said quietly. "They are."  
  
Miharu looked at the couples – and teams – around her, from where she was sitting, which was, of course, beside Sasuke. Hinata and Kiba were talking together on the other side of the fire. Miharu smiled, realizing what a good friend Kiba was. Instead of getting angry with the girl he had loved for choosing someone else, he had stuck with her, and had eventually become her best friend. Then there was Shikamaru and Ino, both asleep side by side underneath a large willow. (It's the first tree that came to mind. Forgive me!) Sitting and eating together not too far away was TenTen and Lee. Although they were hidden in the shadows, Miharu could still sense the team from the Sand. They weren't too far away. Chouji was off eating by himself, of course. Surprisingly, a small distance away from the crowd, Shino and Sakura were talking quietly. 'It seems we're all getting to know each other better on our supposed "Last Mission"' Miharu thought to herself. Now the one person she needed to find was...  
  
...Right there. Getting up slowly, Miharu dusted herself off as she made her way to the quiet Hyuuga, unaware of her other teammate's stare. Stooping in front of him, she bent down so that her face was inches from his own. His eyes were closed; a look of peace was upon his fine features. She was almost sorry for what she was about to do. Almost.  
  
"Hey, Neji, can I join you?" She asked him, her voice an irritating tone. Neji said nothing, but cracked an eye open to look at her. Taking this as a yes, she plopped down beside him. "I forgive you," she grinned.  
  
This got his attention. "For what?" He asked her, slightly amused by what she had said.  
  
"For acting like a complete asshole this morning." She stated rather bluntly, unaware of the smirk which had wound itself into Neji's still amused expression.  
  
"I did not ask for your forgiveness."  
  
"Well..." she said, thinking, "I guess that makes me an even better friend, doesn't it?" She smiled happily, for no apparent reason.  
  
"Why would that be?" He inquired tonelessly.  
  
"Because I forgave you without you even asking!"  
  
Neji closed both his eyes in an attempt to ignore his utterly annoying teammate. He hadn't realized that the eyes of their third were fixed upon the two as if they had killed one of his own. Sasuke didn't miss a word that had been exchanged. Though he was out of earshot, he wasn't out of sight. He was still able to read their lips. Straining his eyes, he tried to make out the words which were being said by Miharu.  
  
"Ne, Neji?"  
  
"..."  
  
"Why are you so..."  
  
Finally opening both of his eyes, Neji had decided to give the girl his full attention. "So what?" He asked.  
  
"...so...afraid?"  
  
Neji bit back his harsh reply, realizing what she meant. Looking at his hitai-ate, which was placed on his right arm, he asked her to continue with a simple, "Afraid of what?"  
  
"Of...love? Relationship? Feeling? Emotions?" She blurted out, placing a hand over her mouth in fear. 'I shouldn't have asked that...' She realized, only too late.  
  
"Because I am different." He stated carelessly.  
  
"Different how?!" Miharu exclaimed. The look Neji gave her sent chills racing up and down her spine. Yet still, she went on. "Everyone has grown to accept you for who you are! I don't see what's so different! The only reason people shy away from you is because you act so goddamned cold! Maybe if you could learn to act more human-"  
  
"Human how?!" he snapped. "I am a Hyuuga. Worse yet, I am of the Branch House. I am restrained, yet no one sees it. I cannot have freedom as you do! One day I will have to die for the Main House, and it will be of no consequence to anyone else! No one will see it as tragedy! It is fate..." He trailed off, breathing hard. "Forget it. If that is all you came here for, I think it is time for you to go elsewhere."  
  
"How can you be so sure?" Miharu asked him angrily. "You don't know if...you won't have to die for them!"  
  
"I can be sure because I have this." Taking off the cloth which covered the upper half of his forehead, he looked straight into Miharu's gray eyes.  
  
Her mouth widened considerably as she stared upon the seal on his forehead. "Oh...W-what?"  
  
"This seal is given to all those born of the Branch. If one of us is to retaliate against one of the Main House, all they must do is perform a series of hand seals, and we will die almost instantly." He tied the cloth back in its place, and continued. "We can't be human."  
  
Miharu still wouldn't give up. Despite that, she rested her head on his shoulders and closed her eyes. Stifling a yawn, she fought back "I don't care what you say." She told him quietly. "If you choose to act like a normal human, then you can. Once you do, I'm sure you'll find that one perfect person to-"  
  
Neji looked down upon his teammate, fast asleep, a steady stream of breathing emitting from her lips.  
  
Sasuke sat back, relaxing. So that was it...  
  
A sudden image of a young blonde flew into Neji's mind. Shaking it away quickly, he averted his gaze. Now looking into the sky above, he replied, "You may be an elite, Miharu, but you've yet to learn the way of the shinobi."  
  
End of Chapter 14!  
  
A/N: The part with Neji explaining about the Main and Branch Houses, I got the idea for that from a fic I read, called "Need to be Strong". I'm not too sure if I got it wrong, so if some parts are incorrect, forgive me. Also, I'm sorry that it took me so long to update, but I've been kind of busy these last few days. Anyway, the next chapter is going to be pretty interesting, but it might be pretty long, and so may take a little longer to write. Please keep checking! Ja ne! 


	15. Chapter 15 The Final Battle, Gaara's Cho...

Love and Death Disclaimer: The last time I am to say this...points at Kishimoto-san  
Masashi Kishimoto is indeed a genius for creating Naruto; points at self I am indeed a genius for creating this fanfic  
  
A/N: Wow...my last chapter! I can't believe this has actually happened! I feel so happy, not really that it's finished, but that I saw it through to the end...or is that the same thing??? Confusion oh well...I'm sorry for making you all wait so long for the final chapter. Really, I am. But I've been really busy. (No, seriously.) Erm, I have some "Thank you" 's to give at the end, but until then, please enjoy!  
  
Miharu-Me: Oh! News alert!  
  
Sasuke: What is it?  
  
Me: I don't want to put the Four Sound in anymore!  
  
Naruto: And why do we care?  
  
Me: Nani?!?!?! Everything I say is important!!! You have to care!  
  
Naruto: -rolls eyes-  
  
Neji: This is too annoying.  
  
Shikamaru: And too troublesome...  
  
Kakashi: -whips out Para Para Paradise and begins to read-  
  
Everyone: -sweatdrop-  
  
Hinata: We should listen to what Miharu-sama has to say...!  
  
-dead silence=o-  
  
Me: Thank you! Now as I was saying...  
  
-gets hit in head by rock-  
  
Me: ahem...Tayuya and the others have died!  
  
Sasuke: How?  
  
Me: They got attacked by an Eva...  
  
Everyone: ..............  
  
Me: Don't look at me like that....  
  
Chapter 15-  
  
The Final Battle-Gaara's Choice-How to End?  
  
Somewhere in the Hidden Sound Village  
  
A snakelike face stared out of a vertically shaped glass window, grinning. However, it was a grin which could be trusted by none. His mouth parted as he licked his lips in anticipation, an ominous aura surrounding his features. "It's about to begin. Now I need to make a move...and get my prey..."  
  
Walking over to the door on the opposite side of the room, his hand froze as it covered the handle. Looking behind himself, out the window once more, the malicious grin spread even wider. Laughing softly to himself, he pulled open the door, muttering "and so the trap is set."  
  
Kisa sighed, at peace with herself, as she slowly lowered herself into the cool stream. It was like heaven to be able to enjoy a cool bath, especially on a day with a high temperature as it was. She leant back against the bank and rested her head. Smiling to herself, she closed her eyes slowly.  
  
Her clothes lay in a neat pile off to the side, under a shady tree. At the very bottom her vial lay, safely wrapped in her red bandanna. Her blonde hair flowed freely about her face, framing it perfectly, partially wet. She sunk lower into the water, and lower still. Finally content with her position, she rested, hands clasped loosely on her stomach. 'Peace at last...' she thought happily.  
  
The last few days had been hectic, what with all the villagers hounding her everyday. Though she knew they meant her no harm, and she acted carefree around them, dealing with their troubles gave her a constant headache. That's why she had decided to treat herself to a small trip. However, some of the villagers had followed her. Happily, she began to sing:  
  
"Sou sa Kanashimi wo yasashisa ni  
Jibun yasisha o chikara ni  
Made ite no ite to ii  
Aruki dashite!  
Mou Ikkai...  
Mou Ikkai!"  
  
Her ecstasy lasted for naught but a few minutes. A discreet shuffling sound from deep within the bushes caught her attention. Though it seemed completely harmless, having to run from elite ninja her whole life had taught her one thing—to expect the unexpected.  
  
Her eyes snapped open, and she quickly sat up, thankful that the water reached her neck. "Who's there?!" she demanded. No one answered. Instead, the sound of shuffling became louder. Now she was frightened. Her hand edged towards the shore, in the direction of her dagger. Thank Yondaime that she always kept it near.  
  
With her other hand she grabbed her towel. 'To bad the first time I had to use this would be for this kind of occasion.' She thought grimly. In one quick motion she stood and wrapped the towel around herself. Still standing in the river, she lowered herself slightly, one hand clutching the handle of her dagger, the other holding on to her towel, ensuring that it wouldn't undo and fall off. Once more she called out, "I'm serious! Who's there?"  
  
Beads of sweat dropped from her forehead. She wasn't feeling too well. It must be the fact that the bottom half of her body was immerged in cold water, while the other half was sweltering hot. Was it nausea?  
  
A cold hand gripped her shoulder tightly, and she screamed out from the connection. "Don't make any noise." A deep murmur filled her ear. She could feel his hot breath on her neck. Too scared to think, she swiveled around quickly, dagger held out in front of her face. She felt it jerk as it connected with the man's skin. Opening her eyes, she stared into the ones of a black haired, golden eyed man. His eyes contracted with anger, as he lifted his free hand to cup the wound on his cheek. He wiped the blood with his finger, then stuck it in his mouth, staring into her eyes the whole time. Meanwhile, his other hand tightened its grip on her shoulder.  
  
Kisa flinched both under the man's intense gaze, and his grip on her shoulder. "I-itai..." She whispered, tears springing into the corners of her eyes. She shuddered, chills racing throughout her body, as she watched him suck on his bloody finger. (I dunno if that's something he would do, but oh well.) Her eyed widened frightfully as he finally removed it and spoke. "You shouldn't have done that." He whispered in her ear.  
  
Before she could breath, he jammed his fist into her stomach, knocking her unconscious. He held out his arm for her to fall across, then flung her over his shoulder. Walking over to her pile of clothes, he rummaged around until his hands closed on the girl's vial. Stuffing it into his jacket pocket, he got up and walked away.  
  
"The prey is caught...the trap is set. Now will you come, mighty nin of the Konoha?"  
  
Back to the main characters  
  
"Saaaaaaaaaaaasuke!!!!" Miharu whined loudly. "I'm hungry!"  
  
Sasuke looked down at the girl who was clamped onto his arm. "There's nothing I can do about that...sorry."  
  
Sakura looked back suddenly, and smiled at the two. She was almost certain if that had been when they were children, Sasuke would have already shoved Miharu off. He certainly had grown...  
  
"Demo Sasuke...!"  
  
"..." a look of irritation crossed his features, but he brushed it off. He could deal with this.  
  
At least, he thought he could. That was before she started poking him. "Sasuke-kuuuuuuun!" poke "I'm" poke "really" poke "HUNGRY!!!" poke, poke, poke, poke.  
  
"STOP POKING ME!" He yelled at her. Everyone stopped and turned in surprise. Had the famous Uchiha actually lost his cool? Blushing slightly, he tried to make himself as small as possible. Then he realized Miharu had released his arm. Looking over, he saw her crouched by herself in a small corner. 'Now what?'' he thought to himself.  
  
Walking over he began hearing sniffing and sobbing. Crouching down in front of her, he was surprised to see her crying him softly. Hearing him in front of her, she looked up sadly. 'If I work my charm, maybe he'll give me food!' she thought evilly.  
  
"I'm just...-sniff-...so hungry...-sniff-...and I just...-sniff-wanted some...food." She managed to cry out. Sasuke, who was in a rather awkward position, inwardly sighed. He knew that she knew that she had got him.  
  
"Fine, whatever." Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a granola bar. "Eat this then."  
  
"Ewww! Don't you have anything better to eat?" She recoiled from her worst enemy almost instantly.  
  
"You either eat this or nothing!" Sasuke seemed really satisfied with this...or rather, himself.  
  
"Fine!" Snatching the bar from his hand she glared at him evilly. "Thank you." She pouted. Ripping off the wrapper, she stuffed it all in her mouth at once. Sasuke sighed and got up, joining the rest of the group. Miharu followed, choking on the granola bar the whole time.  
  
"Stupid piece of crap..." Miharu muttered to herself, barely audible. However, Sasuke heard her. He grinned slightly, not sure if she was talking about the granola bar, or him.  
  
They continued north for the next couple of hours without any interruptions, despite the usual traps and such. They were forced to stop once more when the majority of the group decided that they could not go forward without something to fill them...in other words, they were hungry.  
  
Eventually they came upon a cool, fresh river. The women of the group were overjoyed, whereas the men acted as though they could not have cared less. However, due to the threats made on their lives, the men succumbed to the women's wants and allowed them the next hour to bask as they pleased. As Ino had said, "You're men! Of course you don't understand cleanliness! Us, however, must stay clean. We're not going to move until we've had a decent bath!"  
  
Hinata, Sakura, Ino, TenTen, Temari, and Miharu all lay lazily in the river's clean water. Some, like Sakura and Ino, were talking happily, without any care. Others, like Hinata, were staring up into the clouds, thinking of the one they loved. And the rest, they dozed off under the warm summer sun. Despite the task at hand, they were at peace.  
  
The men, barred off by a path full of traps, were on the other side of the bushes, near the other end of the river. Chouji plopped down in a corner, and, pulling a bag of chips from his bag, began to eat. Shikamaru looked at him in surprise, but then averted his gaze. He knew better than to be shocked over Chouji's appetite. They were, after all, best friends.  
  
"Hey, you guys, come here!" Kiba called from over by their half of the river. He was crouched down in front of something, and looked deadly serious. The others wondered what was happening.  
  
The men, with the exception of Gaara - who seemed to not care about anything - all ran, or walked, to where Kiba crouched. "What's up?" Lee asked suspiciously.  
  
"Look at this." Following his pointed finger, all gathered stared open mouthed at the metallic weapon stained with blood before them. A nerve in Neji's mind twitched. That wasn't just any dagger...he had seen it before. Yet, who did he know that carried a dagger? None... 'It's her!' he thought finally, realization dawning upon him. 'It's--'  
  
"That's Kisa's weapon." Sasuke muttered, gathering everyone's attention. They all stared at him blankly. 'What idiots,' he thought carelessly.  
  
"Who the hell is Kisa?" Asked Kiba, unaware of the great commotion he was soon to cause. It was he, after all, who had found the weapon.  
  
"The girl we had to deliver to the Hidden Village earlier." Neji spoke up from his corner. Everyone's attention was now on him. "She uses that only to defend herself...she must have been att--"  
  
"Are these her clothes?" Shikamaru asked lazily, pointing to a messy lump of colours under the shade of a giant tree. It looked as though someone had been searching through them to find something in particular...  
  
"Let me see..." Sasuke slowly made his way over and shuffled through the clothes. "These are definitely hers...but..."  
  
"What?" Neji asked, eyes hardening slightly. Had something happened? Sasuke locked eyes with his. It was then that Neji knew that something was wrong.  
  
"Her vial isn't here."  
  
"Crap."  
  
The heads of each of the men had traveled between the two as their conversation had taken off, but each was as confused as the one before him. "What are you talking about?" asked Kankuro, speaking up at last.  
  
"The one person who needs this vial more than any other...Orochimaru...he kidnapped her." Stated Sasuke, slight worry wound within his words.  
  
"Wh...why?"  
  
So Sasuke, and Neji, explained to them exactly what the vial was, and why Orochimaru needed it so badly. "If he has immortality, he will no longer need to project his soul into another's body to remain alive. And by keeping some of it whenever he drinks, if he does happen to find a more suitable body, he can just switch over to it and grant that body immortality..." Neji finished tonelessly, his expression the same as it had been during the beginning of the explanation. Yet, somewhere in the back of his mind, worry gnawed at him, almost cracking his cool exterior. Had the girl been killed already?  
  
Sasuke grinned slightly, sweat forming at his brow. "So he's set the trap..." he muttured.  
  
"Uchiha...what did you just say?" Lee asked, thick brows furrowed nervously. What in the world was going on?  
  
"Orochimaru knows we're here, in the Wind Country...in the Hidden Sound. He's set the trap for us. Especially for our team." Sasuke gestured towards Neji. "We were in charge of the girl, and I believe one of us has gained a certain..." glancing quickly at Neji, he continued "...longing for her. He knows we can't ignore the fact that she's gone. This way, it's ensured that we'll come after him, and have no choice but to fight. It's an ingenious plan...and we'll 'fall' for it."  
  
"Well, we might as well tell the ladies." Kiba said from the path, where he was disarming the final trap set by the women earlier. Walking through he disappeared on the other side.  
  
"Is he stupid?" Asked Shikamaru, as he watched the Jounin disappear. "They're going to kill him." Just thinking of what Ino could do gave him the chills.  
  
Kiba returned a few minutes later with a black eye, swollen jaw, and five or six kunai jammed into several uncomfortable parts of his body. He was an unhealthy greenish hue. "Bey'l e bou-bout foon." Was all that could be heard when he tried to speak.  
  
"What?"  
  
"He said they'll be out soon." Shino said, his mouth lifted slightly in the corner, showing he was somewhat amused.  
  
Shikamaru shrugged his shoulders. "I did say he was an idiot, didn't I?"  
  
An hour and a half later, the five best teams of the Konoha, which included all the rookie nine, with the exception of Naruto Hokage-sama, were assembled before what seemed to be an old, run down building. However, it was just the place where Orochimaru would stay.  
  
A warm, nauseating breeze blew in from the South, ruffling the hair of all fifteen ninja. Upon their faces mixtures of fear, anger, intimidation, uncertainty, and determination could be seen. With their heads held high and backs straight, they all walked into the rotting building.  
  
They had searched every room on every floor, with no avail. All left to see was the roof. And so they went. As they filed out of the doorway, two by two, they felt an ominous presence coming from the far end of the roof, where a dark figure stood. It was him.  
  
"Irasshai, Konoha nin." He spread his arms wide, slitted eyes widening as well, mouth curving in a malicious grin. "I'm glad to see you all here at last." His dark, misty voice sent a cold chill throughout the whole village. As he watched all fifteen fan themselves out along the edges of the building, his grin grew even wider. "You have such a Hokage. Sending all fifteen best of his own...and the three best of all countries," his eyes landed on Team 00, "he really does want to get rid of me, doesn't he?"  
  
He laughed softly at their silent response. "Are you all too afraid to talk? Or do you think too little of me?" He licked his lips excitedly. "But then, if we are to fight, this is not the place to...do such things." Fixing his hands to flow in a series of seals, he concentrated on one place...  
  
Looking around, all anyone could see was a vast expanse of land. Not one sign life, not even a plant, could be seen anywhere. They were in the middle of nowhere.  
  
Finally Gaara spoke up. "Where did you bring us?" He asked, deathly eyes staring straight in Orochimaru's. He didn't blink, just awaited an answer.  
  
Orochimaru's grin faltered slightly, as he took in the demonic man. "You...I've heard of you, Gaara of the Sand." He fixed his grin as it was before and then went on. "Shukaku is sealed inside you, is he not?"  
  
A sound like that of a wolf's growl before it is to pounce erupted from the young man, and his eyes filled with more hate than before. "Answer my question." He spat, hand reaching behind himself to grab the cap off of his calabash.  
  
"I brought you...here." Gesturing about himself, Orochimaru laughed softly. "Now..." quickly his hands formed a seal. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he called out softly. In a matter of seconds, he had created over one thousand flesh and blood copies of himself.  
  
"Time to roll!" cried Sakura. Looking over her shoulder, she spotted the two Hyuuga's, little distance apart. "You two! Hinata! Neji!" They both looked up at her expectantly. "Use your Byakugan to spot the real thing, and attack!" They nodded and disappeared, their Byakugan activated. "Everyone else, attack!"  
  
Everyone charged towards the masses of Orochimaru, weapons held at the ready. From a space high above, the real Orochimaru hung, as if suspended in mid air. "My clones won't attack, mighty nin. But they will defend themselves against your attack. Let's see how long it takes you...to get them all."  
  
Sakura, TenTen, and Lee attacked as a group. Doing the seals required, Sakura disappeared. Suddenly the ground beneath the nearest clone began to crack, and her hands wound themselves around it's ankles. Pulling with great force, she managed to get it chin deep into the ground. Appearing in front of it, she delivered a swift kick to it's head. In a poof, in disappeared.  
  
TenTen took the next ones. Attaching her string to her kunai, she threw them at the nearest clones. The kunai managed to hit about fifteen, and were wedged deeply into their skin. Grinning, she tied them all together with the string, then used one of them to give her a foot up on her jump. When she had reached high enough, she grabbed a handful of shuriken and threw them all at the clones she had captured. As each one was hit, it disappeared.  
  
Running at the next clone with extreme speed, Lee took the stance of his Tekken-fu (Iron fist style). In no time he had made his way through twenty of the clones with a swift series of punches and kicks. He continually wound himself in and out of the fights of all the others, connecting his fist every so often with a clone's head.  
  
Team 00 stood aside from the battle, eyes narrowed and watching. With the exception of Neji, of course, who, with Hinata, was scouting for the true form of Orochimaru. Once he had found it, he would return to the others, and they would remain out of the fight. It had been decided a while ago that their team would reserve their energy for the real battle...against Orochimaru himself. Not against his clones.  
  
From above, the legendary sennin's eyes narrowed also. He watched the strongest team of Konoha watch their comrades fight his clones. He knew what they were doing. They were, after all, the strongest team. Of course it would be them who would...not defeat, but attempt to, defeat him.  
  
Ino looked at Shikamaru anxiously. "I'm going to change bodies, Shika- kun. But I need you to kill her once I leave." Shikamaru stared at her, plainly surprised.  
  
"You're going to switch over, then switch back right away?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
"And once you switch back, you want me to kill it? Can you even switch with a clone?"  
  
Ino looked down at her feet. "I don't know," she whispered, "but I have to at least try."  
  
"But--"  
  
"Shintenshin no Jutsu!" Ino's body fell limp at her partner's side. He caught her before she hit the ground, and softly laid her down. Looking over at his best friend, he yelled out, "Chouji! Stop eating and get in this fight!"  
  
Crumpling the now empty bag of chips and tossing it aside, Chouji stood and nodded his head. "Ryoukai!" he called out, before muttering, "Multi size no Jutsu!" Once his body became a large tank, he began his Nikudan Sensha, rolling over any of the clones which dared bar his path.  
  
"Shikamaru! Now!" came the voice of one of the clones. Finally realizing what he was supposed to do, he took a handful of kunai and shuriken and launched them at Ino's host.  
  
"Change back, now!" came the cry of the clone, and Shikamaru cried out angrily. She hadn't gone back already? If the weapons were to hit, which they would, of course, she would die.  
  
"Crap."  
  
It was too late to do anything. The kunai had pierced all vulnerable parts of the clone's body, and the shuriken had lodged themselves into the flesh of many other clones surrounding the fight. All of them disappeared. A sudden rustling sound from beside him caught his attention, and he looked down only to see Ino awakening. He was so relived that he hugged her fiercely. She began to blush furiously, her eyes silently questioning his motive. Realizing what he had just done, Shikamaru let go of her suddenly and got up, looking away the whole time.  
  
Meanwhile Kiba, on the other side of the clearing, grinned at his canine companion. "Ready, Akamaru?" he asked excitedly. "What a fight!" After hearing a reassuring bark from his partner, Kiba stepped forth, creating a seal with his hands. "Well then..." he started, looking down at his side, where Akamaru waited eagerly, tail wagging. "...Gatsuuga!" (Piercing Fang)  
  
Both Kiba and Akamaru began to spin with fierce speed towards the clones which had surrounded them. As the "hurricane" they had created touched each one, it disappeared with a 'poof!' In little or no time, they had cleared the area which surrounded them. Stopping a while, the partners dropped to the ground, panting heavily. "Tiring, ne, Akamaru?" Kiba asked quietly. "Oh well...here we go again! Gatsuuga!"  
  
Shino, in the mean time, had enough to do with his clones. Holding out his arms, he watched as a whole swarm of kikai bugs (Destruction bugs) escaped from within his clothing, swarming over the clones in his area. As each one began to devour their clone, he said, "Hurry. Something's not right."  
  
Kankuro grinned as he unstrapped his puppet from himself. (Oh, I've never seen him use it before, and I'm not positive what he calls it, so sorry for making it up). Releasing it, he began to control it, from a distance, with his chakra strings. "Crow," he called to it, "Time to attack!" Using the strings, he made his puppet attack every clone in its range.  
  
Temari, meanwhile, unstrapped her giant fan. Holding it in both arms, she crouched down slightly, her face deadly serious. Swinging it back, she called out, "Kamaitachi no Jutsu!" A large gust of wind escaped from the strike of her fan, and so happened every time she batted it. By doing this, she was able to clear off large amounts of clones.  
  
Her brother and teammate, on the other hand, had no interest whatsoever in the battle, for, as it seemed, clones could not spill blood. On the other hand, he seemed to be deep in thought. Kankuro, noticing this, couldn't help but wonder what was on his younger brother's mind. Little did he know that Gaara was thinking about Orochimaru...about him knowing of Shukaku. Of course he would, seeing as though Gaara's father was the Kazekage...but still, something about how Orochimaru's eyes glinted as he spoke of the demon inside of Gaara couldn't seem to escape the young man's mind. It wasn't that he was afraid. Gaara could never be afraid. He was more intrigued than anything.  
  
Subconsciously noticing the clones around him, Gaara screwed the cap off of his calabash at last. Nonchalantly throwing shuriken, he muttered, "Suna Shuriken!" Though his attack succeeded in destroying the clones around him, Gaara did not care in the least. To him, it was useless to fight, if no blood was spilt. Following up with a low "Suna Bunshin!" he left his sand clones to fight, while he disappeared into the shadows to further ponder Orochimaru's words.  
  
Neji and Hinata, Byakugan still activated, reported back to Sakura, their news not comforting. "He's n-nowhere..." Hinata stuttered, flustered from using her Byakugan so long. Neji glanced at her quickly before finishing off what his cousin had started.  
  
"We can't find him. He must be..."  
  
"Got you. Hinata, get in the fight. Neji, you go wait with Sasuke and Miharu while we clear off all of these stupid clones." Sakura declared, still fighting the clones. The two Jounin did as told, Neji sprinting over to the rest of his team, Hinata joining her fight, once again activating her Byakugan, and using the Hyuuga's famous Gentle Fist style to destroy many of the shadow clones.  
  
"Yo, Neji." Came Miharu's cool greeting as she scanned the scene before her. Neji smirked in reply. She may be a total idiot at all other times, but when it came to fights like these, Miharu was calm, cool, and reserved. That's why she was respected... by some people, at least. Sasuke just lifted his head in greeting, eyes also locked on the fight. The clones weren't moving. They weren't there to injure the ninja.  
  
"They're there to tire us."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Those clones are there to tire us, so that when the time comes for us to fight him, we wouldn't have any energy left, and it would be easy for him to eliminate us."  
  
"But his plan will no longer work." Neji stated tonelessly. "There are four of us not involved in the fight. I suppose we're reserves."  
  
"Three." Corrected Miharu.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said, there are three of us. You, me, and Sasuke." She repeated.  
  
Taking her head in both hands, Sasuke turned her until she faced the direction in which Gaara sat, concealed within the shadow. "He means four."  
  
"Naruhodou..."  
  
And so, for the next hour, the four nin stood, or sat, watching their comrades defeat as many of the clones as possible. After all that time, they were able to completely clear to field of any of the clones. But at a price. Every single one of them, save Team 00 and Gaara, was wasted. As soon as the final clone disappeared with a barely audible 'poof!' all the Konaha shinobi dropped to the ground lifelessly. They were still conscious, but they didn't have enough energy to actually clear the field themselves.  
  
Team 00 sped to their teammates and, one by one, pulled them back, so that they were leaned up against one another, off in a small corner of the field. Then they stood, just the three, each one facing a different direction, all back to back. Pointing a finger in the direction she faced, Miharu cried out, "Orochimaru! Get your lazy ass out here right now! Don't make us wait!"  
  
Just in those few seconds, a swift breeze overtook the three, and then Orochimaru stood, smirking, in front of them. Sasuke and Neji, whose backs had been facing that direction, turned to face their opponent. Sasuke scanned Orochimaru's features briefly, hate in every line upon his fair skin, in every crease of his brow. "So it comes down to this, huh?" he asked quietly, fury sweetly lining every word he spoke.  
  
Neji, who had just looked in Orochimaru's direction, was surprised to find he was no longer there. Hearing a noise behind them, all three nin spun in a 180 degree circle. However, before they could complete the turn, Orochimaru had solidified behind them. Quickly he spun, neatly imitating Rock Lee's Konoha Rampuu (In other words, he kicked them all away from himself). Before they could fall, each member of Team 00 used their hands to flip and straighten themselves before landing easily upon their hands and knees. The fight had begun.  
  
Neji quickly activated his Byakugan. Speeding towards Orochimaru, he prepared to use the Gentle Fist attack Hinata had used earlier. Drawing his fist back, he forced it forward as he neared Orochimaru. However, sensing his attack, Orochimaru managed to dodge, as he did with all the other punches and kicks Neji sent his way. Finally having enough of his child play, Orochimaru used one powerful punch to Neji's gut to render him nearly unconscious.  
  
At this very moment, Sasuke completed all the hand seals and called out, "Katon Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" A large stream of flame escaped from his mouth, and headed straight for Orochimaru. Having predicted this, Orochimaru ginned suspiciously. Almost as if he had been planning this all along. Sasuke's eyes widened with surprise as he watched Orochimaru disappear suddenly. In less than a second he had reappeared, holding in front of himself no other than...  
  
"Crap. Kisa!" came Neji's voice as he watched Orochimaru's grip tighten around the disheveled girl's shoulders. She winced slightly under the pressure, hatred lining her delicate features. 'He's using her as a shield!' Neji thought. 'If Sasuke's attack hits...'  
  
It happened so quickly, it was hard for the three to register it all. In that one moment, between the time when the attack was barely inches away from Kisa, it happened. Orochimaru had leant down and whispered into her ear, "Sayonara." It was then that her anger level reached the max. Spitting out the cloth which had been gagging her the whole time, she whipped her head around so that she could see her captor from the corner of her eye. Glaring at him hatefully, she spat out, "Don't touch me." Bending over, she brought her hands, which were tied behind her back tightly, higher and higher, until they connected full force with Orochimaru's jaw. Startled, he let go of her shoulders, as the force of her blow sent him staggering backwards. In that moment, she undid the button on his jacket and grabbed her vial from it, jumping to the side. However, Orochimaru had already recovered from her hit, and managed to grab her around her ankles.  
  
Spite filled his cold yellow eyes, and he swung her so that the top half of her body crashed into the rocky ground. Still holding her by her ankle, he lifted her up and tossed her behind himself, where she crashed into the one solitary tree in the whole clearing. There she lay, unconscious, as a slow stream of blood continued to flow from her hairline.  
  
Anger bit into every part of Neji, and he stepped forward quickly. However, sensing another presence, he stopped. Realizing who it was, he forced a cool grin upon his hardened face.  
  
In a flash Miharu appeared behind the red-jawed Orochimaru. Doing a few quick hand seals, she pointed her open palms towards his back, and something much resembling a blast of wind mixed with fire escaped from them. Orochimaru, unsuspecting of the attack, flew forward, the back of his clothing completely disintegrated. He managed to regain his balance in mid air, and landed squarely upon the barren ground.  
  
Shoving out his left hand, he called, "Senei Jyashu!" (Sublime Snake Hands). From his sleeve came many snakes, which latched onto both Neji and Miharu, rendering immobile. Laughing insanely now, he watched the blood pour down their bodies from the numerous snake bites which had been made by his attack. Stopping suddenly, he remembered that there were three in a team. Which meant that the Uchiha boy was...  
  
Holding out his right hand in the direction of Sasuke's chakra, he called out, "Senai Jashuu!" This time, a number of snakes escaped from the sleeve of his hand and speed in the direction of Sasuke's faint outline. They bit into it, and after feeling his snakes connect, Orochimaru began to draw them back in. However, when he finally saw what his snakes had connected with, his body contracted with anger and he spat in frustration. The boy had used Kawarimi no Jutsu.  
  
From nowhere he heard, a slight mumbling sound. "Jutsu..." he whispered. Suddenly, a large shuriken came right for him. Dodging slightly, he smirked. "You should know better than that." He coaxed. Then his face blanked. Raising his right hand to his left shoulder, he felt a warm liquid run it's length. Turning his head to see what it was, red surrounded his gaze. The first shuriken had cut the hold of his snakes on the two ninja, while the second had nearly cut through his arm. What was happening?  
  
That's when he saw the boy's true figure. Before he could land, Orochimaru was upon him, hands around his neck, attempting to strangle him. Sasuke gasped for breath, scratching at his opponent's arms. His eyes bulged, and his breathing became more sparse, and rugged. Finally, his eyes glossed over and he dropped to the ground, lifeless.  
  
Neji withdrew a sharp breath, and Miharu cried out, "Sasuke!" Tears began to form at the c orners of her eyes, then proceeded to drop softly onto her cheeks, then onto the ground. She started gasping for breath, and was so petrified that she hadn't noticed that Orochimaru's snakes had completely released her and Neji. She began running over to her fallen love, before she felt her body freeze. Casting her senses, she felt that Neji's body had frozen also. Both of them dropped helplessly to the floor.  
  
Orochimaru walked over to them, a sick smirk plastered onto his pale face, a kunai held in one hand, two in the other. "It's been fun playing with you," he said softly, murderously, "but playtime's over." Lifting his hand slowly, he prepared to fling the kunai at their hearts. Then he froze also, and sand began to gather at his feet. He dropped the kunai, and his hold on Neji and Miharu was gone. They sat up shakily, and Miharu crawled over to where Sasuke lay, resting his head on her lap as she watched the scene unfold before her.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, Orochimaru saw the redheaded man with the calabash emerge from the shadows, hand held out in front of him. There was a tint of green in his otherwise black eyes. Slowly the sand ensnared his whole body, rendering Orochimaru helpless. Looking openly gleeful, he called out to Gaara, "Shukaku! Are you really going to do this? I know of your blood lust. I can help to quench it. Think...you could be so much stronger, so much better."  
  
The sand had stopped gathering while Orochimaru spoke, and Gaara's eyes glinted eerily in the quickly darkening atmosphere. Orochimaru continued, seeing as though he may yet be able to preserve his own life. "All the blood you wanted...it could be yours. The lives...you don't need them. You have to potential..." as the sand continued to gather, Orochimaru hurried on. "...Shukaku...you could be strong."  
  
Gaara's eyes narrowed as the sand completely stopped. That was when he began clenching his open fist. Orochimaru knew he was dead. Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply. He should have taken the contents of the vial while he had the chance. Then Gaara's voice came, deathly low, "Sabaku Sousou." (Desert Graveyard), and the sand was pushed inward, crushing it's captive. Then it all exploded, blood, mixed with sand, flew everywhere. Closing his calabash once more, as if he had not just destroyed the legendary sennin, Gaara disappeared once more into the shadows.  
  
Hours later, everyone, including Kisa, (and, thankfully, Sasuke) had regained consciousness. They had been told the whole story by Miharu, who had finally found that as a way to work off her anxiety. Now they all were broken off, in couples or teams, scattered around the bloody field, helping -–supporting -- one anther.  
  
Miharu leaned heavily upon Sasuke's shoulder, as he encircled her in his arms. Kisa had her arms wrapped around Neji, and his were thrown casually over her shoulder in return. Everyone had decided to stay there for the night before returning to the Konoha Village. They had had enough for one day.  
  
Suddenly a voice asked the question which had been lingering in the minds of many of the ninja assembled. "Where's Gaara?"  
  
As if answering her question, the figure of the young man approached them all. Every set of eyes turned in his direction, as his deeply voiced the words that would decide the rest of his life. "That man...he was right." Everyone in the clearing gasped, clearly frightened of what their teammate was about to say. "With Shukaku, I can become...stronger. I will not have the restraint of anyone...I can spill blood freely." And, believing no more words needed to be said, he untied his hitai-ate from the shoulder strap of his calabash. Taking a kunai from his pouch, he scratched a long mark across it, from tip to tip of the metal. Then, dropping the kunai and hitai-ate in unison, he glanced once more at the people of his past, whom he would most likely never see again...unless it was to kill.  
  
A brief wind blew across the field, as the grains of sand from the ground began to gather at his feet. Then a wall of sand blocked him from the view of the others. All the ninja stared, openly shocked, as the wall of sand dropped, no longer needed. There was nothing to be seen.  
  
End of Fanfic!  
  
A/N: This took me a week (7 days, not 5) to write. It's 23 pages long, in size 12 font. Wow. But now, tears must be shed. It's finally done. My fic is finally done. Thank Yondaime. (Oh yeah, he's the 4th Hokage). But, now it's time for me to thank everyone who reviewed. If you hadn't, I probably wouldn't have continued this fic. I'd especially like to say "thanx" to Cookie6, who has reviewed every single chapter of my fic from beginning to end. It was very encouraging, knowing that you would always read and review, no matter when I found the time to update. I'd even like to say "yeah, ok" to my flamers. Even though you guyz pissed me off to high hell, I was able to go over my story and see where I was "mary sueing" and try to improve the character for future chapters. So yeah, without you guyz, my story probably wouldn't be that good either. All in all, I'm really happy I saw this through to the end. I have like, 50 more ideas to put into fic and post, so I'm going to get started on the one-shots right away. So thank you all, hope you enjoyed the 15th chapter, and hope you read my other fics! --  
  
P.S- tonight was the finale of American Idol, and I would just like to say, BoBo Fantasia kicks ass, and she so totally deserved to win. I love how she sings! Go Fantasia!!!!!!  
  
Ja ne! Arigatou, mo ichido! Miharu 


End file.
